Method and apparatus for delivering a virtual reality environment

ABSTRACT

Described is a method and apparatus for generating a customized dynamic virtual reality environment. The dynamic virtual reality environment communicates with a participant via a virtual personal assistant utilizing an input/output arrangement. The virtual personal assistant engages the participant in a natural language conversation to obtain the participant&#39;s preferences and personal information. The virtual personal assistant utilizes an artificial intelligence engine to recognize a plurality of natural languages. Information obtained from the conversation may be translated into a request for information, services or products. The virtual personal assistant may retrieve any of these from a plurality of remote servers via a communications network and present the data to the participant. Information obtained from the conversation may be used to evolve both the virtual reality environment and the virtual personal assistant. Both are continuously learning and adapting to the participant and become more personalize following every use.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of provisionalapplication Ser. No. 60/235777, filed Sep. 25, 2000, the entiredisclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein as if fully setforth in its entirety, which was assigned by María Gaos to The MissionCorporation pursuant to an agreement executed on Sep. 25, 2000.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to global communications networks, and morespecifically to delivering an easy to use virtual reality environment totake advantage of existing technologies and global communicationsnetworks such as the Internet without requiring the use of computers norcomputer literacy. This invention includes an artificial intelligenceassistant which receives commands through a speech recognition device,adapts to each individual user, and provides customized guidance to theuser. The intelligent assistant projects human-like features andbehaviors appropriate to the preferences of its user and appears as avirtual person to the user.

2. Discussion of the Background

In 1996, industry analysts propounded that, with 40 million peopleconnected around the world, $1 billion in electronic sales, and over 10million web addresses, the Internet as a commercial medium had come ofage; 25 years after its birth under the auspices of the United StatesDepartment of Defense's Advanced Research Project Agency as a smallnetwork (ARPANET) intended to promote the sharing of super-computersamong researchers in the United States.

Five years after the experts accepted the Internet as a commercialmedium, the Internet today is a chaotic, overpopulated road, accessibleonly to the relatively few people who own and can operate computers. Thevirtual environment object of this invention provides a means to bypassthe computer dependency for accessing today's Internet.

Today's Internet is generally deficient in several ways. First, it isvery generalized in the information it provides. The Web pages are notdesigned for a particular person, but rather, in the best of cases, fora particular group. They do not rely on the personalizedcharacteristics, needs or criteria of the specific user in order tonarrow the choices of selection to be offered to the user. This requiresexcess time on the part of the user to browse through the site in orderto make the proper selection. With existing search engines and querytools, users must interact with the Internet using a limited set ofpre-established interactions. In addition, all users must navigatethrough the pre-set paths and iterations even when the bulk of theinformation accessible via those paths would not be applicable to thatuser's needs nor to the user's level of familiarity with the availableinformation. This shortcoming is particularly significant when oneconsiders provisions of product information over the Internet. Withworldwide access, customers from geographically diverse locations willhave different requirements on available product sets when interactingwith the same Web site. Different users will also have differentinteraction parameters with respect to the level of product detail thatthey require. For instance, when shopping for a camera, a professionalphotographer will approach the interaction with more detailedspecification constraints than the user who is shopping for a camera asa gift.

As a result of the foregoing shortcomings, the Internet has modestpenetration levels for a mass medium. ACNielsen NetWatch's October 1999survey shows a penetration rate of 38% in Canada with the United Statessharing second place with Australia and Singapore at 25% of the totalpopulation.

Nonetheless, the Internet has the potential to become a significantglobal mass medium for conducting business, collecting, and exchanginginformation, communication, and entertainment. International DataCorporation (“IDC”) estimates that the number of Internet usersworldwide will grow from approximately 142.2 million at the end of 1998to approximately 502.4 million by the end of 2003, representing acompound annual growth rate of 29%.

As Internet usage continues to grow, advertisers and electronic commercemarketers are increasingly using the Web to locate customers, advertiseand facilitate transactions. The Internet allows advertisers to moreprecisely target desired audiences while tracking impression levels,user demographics, and advertisement effectiveness. In addition, theInternet allows advertisers to interact more effectively with users andto more easily obtain relevant data about buying patterns, preferencesand demands.

According to Forrester Research, the total worldwide dollar value ofInternet advertising will increase from $3.3 billion in 1999 to $24.1billion by 2003. Moreover, according to the IDC, the percentage ofInternet users buying goods and services on the Internet will increasefrom approximately 22% in 1998 to approximately 36% in 2003, and thetotal value of goods and services purchased directly on the Web willincrease from approximately $27.0 billion in 1998 to approximately$842.7 billion by 2003.

One of the factors slowing the wider deployment of the Internet is thatit requires an expertise level which is still quite high. Today'scomputers are difficult to use and require significant levels ofexpertise, generally built over many years of computer use. Also,non-computer users are quite often intimidated by the technology ofcomputers. Current Internet products require that their users have acertain level of familiarity with a computer, the medium, its language,and its unspoken rules. This trend is becoming more entrenched with eachnew advance in technology, since technology is being used to substitutefor human interaction between the Web site and its users.

This combination of factors results in more than half of the worldpopulation bewildered, uninterested in using and enjoying one of thebest technologies developed in the twentieth century. The generalpopulation is being excluded from the Internet because it requires themto understand computers and learn computer skills and technologicallanguage. Moreover, to use the Internet, users have to pay more for apersonal computer, Internet connections and related requirements, thanfor a television set. In addition, there is a natural, human fear offailure when challenged to master new skills. This group excluded fromthe Internet represents every segment of the general population—men andwomen, young and old, professionals and non-professionals.

The Internet is a large network made up of a number of smaller networks.It is made up of more than 100,000 interconnected networks in over 100countries, comprised of commercial, academic and government networks. Ithas become commercialized into a worldwide information highway and database, containing information on every subject known to humankind.

Thus, the Internet and its World Wide Web (“WWW” or “Web”) system havebecome an important means of providing access for many users to vastamounts of information stored on the servers which make up the Internet.By way of background, the WWW is an Internet facility that linksdocuments locally and remotely. The Web document is called a Web page,and links in the page let users jump from one page to another page(hyperlink) whether the pages are stored on the same server or onservers around the world. The pages are accessed and read via a Webbrowser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer.

The WWW has become the center of Internet activity since, among otherreasons, Web pages, containing text, graphics, audio and video areeasily accessible via a standard web browser. The WWW contains thelargest collection of online information in the world, and the amount ofinformation is increasing. Current schemes for accessing a Web documentrequire typing in the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) address of the homepage in the Web browser. From there, the user starts surfing through theInternet via hypertext links to other documents that can be stored onthe same server or on a server anywhere in the world.

The fundamental Web format is a text document embedded with “HTML” tagsthat provide the formatting of the page as well as the hypertext links(URLs) to other pages. HTML codes are common alphanumeric charactersthat can be typed with any text editor or word processor. Numerous Webpublishing programs provide a graphical interface for Web page creationand automatically generate the codes. Many word processors andpublishing programs also export their existing documents to the HTMLformat. Thus, Web pages can be created by users without learning anyvoluminous coding system. The ease of page creation has helped fuel theWeb's growth. Web pages are maintained at Web sites, which are computersor nodes that support the Web's HTTP protocol. The HTTP (Hyper TextTransport Protocol) is a communications protocol used to connect clients(for example, personal computers) to Web sites.

To date, the majority of users are people with technical or professionalbackgrounds who use expensive personal computers or work stations toaccess the Internet and the WWW. In order to increase usage andacceptance of the Internet and WWW by the public, it is necessary toprovide systems which are less expensive and easier to use than personalcomputers or the existing Internet access devices.

The proper and efficient use of the great amount of information andservices available on the Internet has the potential of providingInternet users with an environment in which to attend to all their needsand wants. In particular, those non-technical users interested incertain segments of the information and services available on theInternet could benefit tremendously from having their specificinformation or services of interest available to them without much of asearching effort. Moreover, such users would benefit greatly from beingconstantly and automatically updated on new information and services asthey become available.

The shear size of the information available on the Internet and the Webhas made it a necessity for users to efficiently and constantly siftthrough the available information in order to find and organize theinformation that is of interest to them. Stated differently, usersrealize that the availability of information itself is not useful unlessthe information is reduced to a manageable size and unless theinformation so reduced in size is of interest and of value to thespecific user. According to IDC, the number of web pages will increasefrom approximately 925 million at the end of 1998 to over 13 billion bythe end of 2003, representing a compound annual growth rate of 70%.

To date, the following strategies have been developed to assist Internetusers:

-   -   Internet Directories. Internet directories generally list web        sites by specific topics of interest and contain links to these        sites. With the rapid growth of content available on the        Internet, these directories are becoming increasingly difficult        to build and update with a high level of quality. In addition,        the creators of these directories often have limited relevant        knowledge about the directories' particular topic areas.    -   Internet Search Engines. Internet search engines capture, store        and index web site information in order to retrieve web site        listings in response to user query. These software programs have        a limited ability to determine the quality or relevance of the        web sites they retrieve. Further, as the nature of the available        content has become more difficult to classify, many companies        offering search engines are being forced to employ significant        editorial staffs to ensure that responses to queries are        satisfactory. Search engines based on natural language have the        added difficulty of accurately determining sentence syntax and        nuances.    -   Internet Portals. Many traditional Internet directories and        search engines have added interactive tools and features, such        as weather, news feeds, stock portfolios, personal home pages,        and non-proprietary content from other media. These portals        provide Internet users with basic information and links on a        broad range of topics. Because most portals have many similar        tools and features and provide limited original content, there        is little differentiation among them.    -   Topic-Specific Sites. More in-depth content is generally found        on sites focused on particular topics where individuals        knowledgeable about those topics create the content. Because        these sites tend to be widely dispersed, Internet users may need        to visit a number of other unaffiliated sites in order to        satisfy their information needs.    -   User-Generated Content Sites. Many web sites generate and        contribute relevant content. However, the quality of this        content varies significantly and the content is frequently        un-managed and poorly organized and presented. As a result,        advertisers may be reluctant to entrust their brands to sites        that rely upon user-generated content.

Various “search engines”, such as Yahoo, Excite, Lycos, and AltaVista,among others, are known that permit a user to search for specificinformation. However, such search engines must be used on a daily basisto ensure that the updated information is accessed. Moreover, almost anysearch string results in a huge number of documents and the user wouldnot know which documents have already been ruled out as being of nointerest. Further, the search engines generally do not focus onparticular sites that are of interest to the user; they search theentire Internet. The Internet is huge and complex. This is especiallydaunting to non-technical users who are unschooled in the vagaries ofsearch techniques. The virtual environment object of this inventiondevelops a better, more powerful and intuitive search engine based onsemantic and cognitive profiling to allow for improved informationretrieval on the Internet by non-technical users. The same ArtificialIntelligence driven semantic engine that determines the meaning of userrequests can be turned around and used to interpret the validity ofquery results that answer requests. Additionally data structures thatsupport and store user oriented semantic relationships provide a readilyaccessible “web of knowledge”.

Since commerce is an inherent activity of human beings and an obviouspart of life as we know it, it behooves us to develop a largely frictionfree mass commerce potential to get buyers and sellers together in aproductive and mutually fulfilling experience. In order to do this, waysmust be developed to reduce or remove the real or perceived barriers tocommerce on the buyer's side such as high pricing, return hassles,credit card concerns, privacy protection, navigational difficulties anddelayed gratification. On the sellers' side ways of dealing effectivelywith payment matters, the cost of customer service, inventory controlcosts, including the cost of goods sold and a full range of otherbusiness to customer and business-to-business concerns need to beadopted. In addition, strong models to help businesses and consumersdeal effectively with business management issues that add to suppliercosts must be developed.

None of the devices or methods available in the prior art, however,provides a way of integrating all available technologies together inorder to provide a user friendly virtual environment which provides theuser with an easy to use technological solution while at the same timetaking advantage several available technologies. Thus, there is a needfor a virtual environment and method of creating said environment whichovercomes these and other deficiencies in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to fulfill the realpotential of the Internet as a mass medium in a Post-PC Environment thattakes control of its users' experience before, during, and after theirinitial connection by meeting and anticipating their individualinformation, services, entertainment, and transactional needs in reallife scenarios through technology that recreates everyday situations.

This invention will create a dynamic virtual reality environment basedon user's individualized personality, interests or needs using anartificial intelligence engine's experience with the individual user ofthe invention.

It is a further object of this invention to humanize informationtechnology by making the technology truly easy to use, accessible,affordable, and relevant in people's everyday lives while bypassing therequirements of computer literacy and ownership, deliver entertainment,current, and relevant information, and useful services and merchandiseon demand in a manner that accurately reflects each user's reality atmany levels. The virtual environment of the present invention, respectsusers desire for privacy, as the user only interacts with a set-top boxand not with retailers or service providers. The environment interactswith and responds to users both individually and as a group, learns,evolves and changes quickly in response to user demands and preferences.

It is another object of the present invention to provide simplifiednon-technical, and genuinely user friendly multimedia authoring andediting tools tailored to deliver content that effectively utilizes thevirtual environment's front end and supports a large array of contentinput sources such as subject matter experts, free lance writers, staffwriter/reporters, graphic, video and audio artists.

The virtual environment is to engage users from all walks of life byusing their chosen natural, non-technical language at personal andindividual level. To accomplish this, the environment will use advancedArtificial Intelligence driven semantic processing, voice recognition,and digital and audio technology to create a unique environment thatprovides verbal, natural language, intuitive and friendly navigationalaides and online/offline human quality support.

The virtual environment of this invention is intended to be a global,interactive “mass medium”. The environment provides appropriate userservices “on-demand” not following that ubiquitous tendency fortechnology to develop one size fits all approaches.

Every component in the virtual environment of this invention has thecapability to dynamically learn, change, and respond quickly accordingto individual needs and desires by building dense user profiles. At thesame time, user profiles should be absolutely secure and guarded againstinappropriate access or use in conformance to user desires and thevarying laws on privacy from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. This is anall-important feature. Not only is the security of profile informationrequired by law in an increasing number of jurisdictions, but the lackof trust by users on how their profiles are handled is a primary reasonvast numbers of potential users shun online activities. The virtualenvironment of this invention guarantees privacy protection.

A primary feature of the virtual environment of this invention is thatit should, to the possible extent, make the technology disappear.Currently, users must directly deal with three artifacts oftechnology—operating systems, user interfaces and browsers—before theyeven get to deal with applications that could possibly affect theirlives. Today's operating system/user interface/browser combinations arenot truly intuitive nor user friendly. This invention provides a newnon-technical and natural integrated user interface/browser based on atotally transparent and stable real time operating system. Thisinnovative “front end” is housed in a set-top box, which providesinteraction and access using the user's television and telephone. Inother embodiments of this invention this front end may be modularlyconstructed to reside in any other user devices that provide appropriateaccess to the virtual environment.

The system of this invention quickly goes online when commanded withoutadditional user interaction. The user does not need to be involved inany operating system derived technical setup routines. In this inventionthere is no chance for the loss of user information and the user iscontinually apprized of the progress in real time of all submittedrequests.

The environment of this invention provides intelligent, efficient andnon-patronizing means to deliver marketing, promotion, and merchandisingservices as a natural and unobtrusive part of the users onlineexperience. There is a tendency for the online world to become overinfatuated with mercantile e-commerce as the primary driving force inthe online experience. In life as we know it, shopping and entertainmentare not the only thing that we do. We need to work productively to beable to shop and be entertained as well as fulfill our sense ofaccomplishment. We seek communications and relationships with thecommunity at large in order to share a common experience and socialbonding. People over time will not become loyal, persistent users of amedium that just tries to sell them something all the time. Theenvironment of this invention brings out of the user experience strongmodels of local community development that can be used to help peopleactually lead what they perceive as better and more fulfilling lives.Among those models are ones to facilitate high quality, user orientedhealthcare, expand the quality and availability of education at alllevels, help local people make a living thereby expanding localcommunity options, support community activism and participation andincreasing the general level of understanding between individuals andcommunities. By facilitating these types of activities, the environmentof this invention will support electronic commerce as a necessary byproduct.

A further object of this invention is to attract and satisfy the vastmajority of the population that does not use the Internet. ConventionalInternet companies set-up shop and wait in the sidelines hoping tocapture a share of the “inevitable” market explosion. This inventiondevelops a mass medium by pulling the Internet outside of computers andinto television sets, and inviting people to use it as a medium thatleads them to a friendly and human virtual environment that delivers allof the services that the users desire and need.

This invention tackles all of the aforementioned issues by providing afull service affordable package to enable those who previously weredaunted by the perceived high financial and intellectual costs ofjoining the Internet Age. The technological dominance of the Internetindustry has led to a critical miscalculation—the belief that theconsumer must adapt to technology. This obvious mistake permeates thethinking of current Internet companies, including the most successful.This invention fills this void by serving the consumer by technology,not vice versa, by using and adapting those technologies which provide asatisfying and value-adding experience to its users who do not have toadapt to the invention.

A further object of this invention is to offer and create individualvirtual environments for each user in order to meet their specific needsand wants. A user's nationality, language preference and gender are onlya start. The virtual environment will meet the needs of the user in easeof use, richness of content offerings, attractiveness in e-commerceavailability, and any other unmet need the user might express.

The virtual environment of the present invention also provides simpleprocesses to conduct electronic commercial and non-commercialtransactions and continued customer support before, during, and aftereach transaction.

In the Post-PC Era, while there is a relatively small universe ofhouseholds with computers and Internet access, 95% of households aroundthe world own television sets. Thus, most people may be connectedinstantly to the virtual environment object of this invention, where themouse, the keyboard and the PC monitor are replaced by their televisionand telephone sets.

Connecting to the virtual environment does not require a PC. The useronly has to install the set-top box and turn it “On” to enter thevirtual environment. The direct connection between the user and thevirtual environment is totally seamless as it bypasses the confusion oflearning “to surf.” Users are directed to an “all inclusive” virtualenvironment as their first point of contact. Navigation andcommunication with the virtual environment is through humanizedmechanisms, such as speech recognition.

The virtual environment object of this invention will relate to itsusers as individuals in real, human, everyday language, deliveredthrough two familiar household items—the television and the telephone.This will revolutionize today's Internet and television, bypassingcomputers, to deliver information, entertainment and commerce to itsusers interactively and on a one-to-one basis, realizing for the firsttime the all-inclusive potential of the new medium.

Recent market research, such as the study conducted in 1999 by RoperStarch Worldwide, reveals that consumers are willing to rely on the newmedium to satisfy a growing range of their communications, information,entertainment, and business needs, and consider it an important part oftheir lives. According to the study, conducted via telephone in July1999, among a random sample of approximately 1,000 home Internetsubscribers over 18 years of age, electronic commerce is the fastestgrowing online activity, with a 10% jump over the previous year. TheRoper Study also illustrates the limited vision of today's Internet—onequestion asked of the respondents was “If you are stranded on a desertisland, would you prefer to have a television and telephone or a PC withan Internet connection?” The respondents, presented this false choice,selected an interactive connection. However, the all-inclusiveenvironment of this invention obliterates this false dilemma—through aset-top box and environment which provides its users with theinteractivity they crave through household devices they are familiarwith, bypassing the perceived PC gauntlet.

It is also an object of the present invention to offerhighly-competitive pricing for all merchandise sold within theenvironment by obtaining volume discount from retailers, wholesalers,and manufacturers. By creating an environment that removes the massmarket's perceived barriers to electronic commerce, a high-volumeconsumer audience that will be attractive to vendors will be created.Vendors will seek to sell their goods and services in the virtualenvironment. Commercial affiliates and service providers may take ordersfrom users of the virtual environment, which will be executed by theoperator of the environment. Through volume, said operator will be ableto negotiate favorable financial terms for its members.

The technological infrastructure will learn from customer interactionand immediately alert a customer service department of problem areas andprovide performance reports of content of the virtual environment.Twenty four hour online and offline customer service and support mayfacilitate all aspects of the customer experience, from Internetconnection to electronic commerce.

Video, audio and Speech-Recognition components interact with users ofthe environment in a human, personal and individual manner.

An important object of this invention is to provide the user with avirtual intelligent assistant which adapts to each user and offers ahigh quality of individualized user interaction.

Because current Internet products require that their users have acertain level of familiarity with the medium, its language and itsunspoken rules, they all cater to the same audience while excluding newusers. It is an object of the present invention to fill this vacuum, toentice and maintain non Internet users with a virtual environment thatdelivers content that satisfies the following requirements:

-   -   Presented in an intelligent, imaginative, attractive manner        using real human language.    -   Edited for accuracy, timeliness, and completeness.    -   Filtered and edited by an Artificial Intelligence technology        according to each customer's individual needs and preferences        before it is published in the virtual environment.    -   Organized and catalogued by an Artificial Intelligence        technology in order to present the proper possible number of        relevant choices to each user.    -   Where marketing and promotions are introduced in an intelligent,        non patronizing way as a natural part of each user's experience,        through recommendations, suggestions and other means.

The virtual environment of this invention appeals to the generalpopulation because it relies on a personal human and non-technologicalrelationship to satisfy individual needs and preferences.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a Post-PC era revenuemodel that eschews the current Internet advertising sales strategies byoffering retailers and Internet service providers the opportunity tosell their products to a mass audience in a virtual shopping zone.

Another object of the present invention is to maximize marketing revenuewhile providing users a clean, uncluttered content.

Still another object of the present invention is to offer an attractiveapproach which would increase the size of the audience and the length oftheir visits. Thus, increasing the traffic in the virtual shopping zoneallowing the host to set higher prices for the retail space of theShopping Zone and realizing higher sales fees.

Offer retailers, manufactures, and service providers an opportunity tocreate their own merchandising and marketing presence within a virtualshopping environment, charging such companies a fee for the preparationof their marketing area, with cost dependent upon the complexity of thearea and the prominence of its location within the environment.

Retail space may be leased at a monthly fee.

Long-term contracts may be designed to support broad marketingobjectives, including brand promotion, awareness, product introductions,online research and the integration of marketing messages with editorialcontent.

The virtual environment itself, both as to its construction and its modeof operation, will be best understood, and additional objects andadvantages thereof will become apparent, by the following detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

When the word “invention” is used in this specification, the word“invention” includes “inventions”, that is, the plural of “invention”.By stating “invention”, the Applicant does not in any way admit that thepresent application does not include more than one patentably andnon-obviously distinct invention, and Applicant maintains that thepresent application may include more than one patentably andnon-obviously distinct invention. The Applicant hereby asserts, that thedisclosure of the present application may include more than oneinvention, and, in the event that there is more than one invention, thatthese inventions may be patentable and non-obvious one with respect tothe other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, is a block diagram of an embodiment of the set-top box, VCR, andcable decryption box interface, case 1.

FIG. 2, is a block diagram of an embodiment of the set-top box, VCR, andcable decryption box interface case 2.

FIG. 3, is a block diagram of an embodiment of the set-top box, VCR, andcable decryption box interface case 3.

FIG. 4, is a block diagram of an embodiment of the set-top box, VCR, andcable decryption box interface case 4 a.

FIG. 5, is a block diagram of an embodiment of the set-top box, VCR, andcable decryption box interface case 4 b.

FIG. 6, is a block diagram of an embodiment of the set-top box, VCR, andcable decryption box interface case 4 c.

FIG. 7A, is a top level block diagram for an Artificial IntelligenceSystem.

FIG. 7B, is a mid level block diagram for an Artificial IntelligenceSystem.

FIG. 8, is a block diagram for the Intelligence Center of the Invention.

FIG. 9, is a block diagram of all likely features of the set-top box.

FIG. 10, is a block diagram of a suggested assignment of functions toDTMF keypad.

FIG. 11, is a block diagram of all likely features of the set-top box.

FIG. 12, is a block diagram of all likely features of the set-top box.

FIG. 13, is a block diagram of the preferred configuration of theset-top box.

FIG. 14, is a block diagram of the voice remote control operation.

FIG. 15, is a block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the voiceremote control operation.

FIG. 16, is a block diagram of the Verbal Communication InterfaceProgram.

FIG. 17, is a block diagram of the Remote Control and Set-top boxinterface.

FIG. 18, is a block diagram of the Set top Device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following detailed description sets forth numerous specific detailsto provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, those ofordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the invention may bepracticed without these specific details. In other instances, well-knownmethods, procedures, protocols, components, algorithms, and circuitshave not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention.

I. The Virtual Reality Environment

By incorporating new applications of Artificial Intelligence, speechrecognition, and digital video and audio technologies, this inventioncreates a unique virtual environment that provides verbal, naturallanguage, intuitive, and friendly navigational aides and online/offlinehuman support to deliver the most relevant, useful and currentinformation and entertainment options, and the most efficient means toconduct the widest possible range of commercial and non-commercialtransactions—from shopping to banking and filing official documents andevery other of the users lifestyle needs. This virtual environment mayengage consumers from all walks of life in real, human,non-technological language at the most personal and individual levels.Every component in the virtual environment learns, responds, and changesquickly according to the needs of each individual user, interacts withusers through video and audio technologies in natural language, and isdesigned for smooth and fast scalability.

The virtual environment of this invention encompasses three separateelements: a set-top box FIG. 11 and a voice equipped remote controller,FIG. 11, 1101, which provide a very friendly user interface to thesystem, TV and or PC, and a group of computer servers as the back-end tosupport all services available from the set-top box. These services mayinclude, among others, home banking, e-commerce, e-services, education,entertainment, voice over IP, and video over IP. In addition, hardwareand software infrastructure is required for supporting the abovecomponents, e.g. connectivity means (telephone lines, cables, DSL,satellite, etc.) and Application Service Provider (ASP).

The virtual environment of this invention takes the Internet out of thePC environment and into the users television sets, through a small andeasy-to-use set-top box. The set-top box uses televisions and telephonelines to instantly connect users with the environment. Installation andconnection of these devices is a quick and simple process. In addition,in another embodiment of the invention, circuit boards, which serve thefunction of the set-top boxes, may be incorporated in television sets.The users of the present invention may access the aforementionedservices via a natural and friendly form of human communication with thefamiliar medium of television, and traditional remote controls. In thisway, people without computer knowledge will be able to “surf” theInternet and enjoy the vast array of services offered by currentadvanced technologies without encountering any technical barriers.

The set-top box provides the user with a satisfying and simple tounderstand experience by transparently taking care of the technicaldetails of the communications interface with television sets andtelephone lines to instantly connect people to the virtual environmentand allowing familiar paradigms and natural-feeling controls to replacethe arcane, un-intuitive, and awkward ones used by other Internetproducts. In another embodiment of the invention, circuit board's arepre-installed on PC's. Still in other embodiments of the invention,circuit boards are pre-installed in DVDs and VCRs.

The remote controller extends the functionality of the system byallowing the user familiar with TV remote-controls and wirelesstelephones to engage in Internet activities in an intuitive way, andwithout learning a daunting amount of new jargon and methods.

Through the use of the present invention, the Internet in the Post-PCEra will be a vehicle that transports people to destinations thatenhance their lives and entertain them in ways that existing mediacannot. The present invention enables people to access the Internetwithout the need of computers and/or computer knowledge. Thus, enablingthem to use the Internet for what it truly is—a medium that connectspeople with the virtual environment object of this invention. Thisvirtual environment empowers the users with true choices and one-on-oneinteractivity, beyond the limitations of time, space and programminginherent to both traditional media and today's Internet.

This invention will anticipate and meet all of the user's lifestyleneeds in a friendly and efficient way within a virtual environment thatemulates the world as the user knows it. As technology and thecommunications infrastructure have evolved, the time has come fortelevision, radio, print, and the Internet to meet in a multidimensionaland Post-PC virtual environment that offers, through connectivity andinteractivity, individualized information, entertainment, andcommunication options.

II. Host and Personal Assistant

Making reference to FIGS. 7A, and 7B, the present invention provides anartificial intelligence engine 701 to guide and assist the user of thevirtual environment. In its preferred embodiment, the invention'sintelligent assistant is represented by an animated character or avatarhaving human-like features and gestures. The character can communicateback to the user through text, voice, and its own animated gestures 702.The invention's intelligent assistant automatically and constantlycollects information of interest to the user in order to create a userprofile 703.

Users are introduced to the virtual environment by a human host who willbe a trusted, real-life person presented through digital video and audiotechnologies that will emulate human interaction powered by ArtificialIntelligence and Speech-Recognition technologies 704.

The host's task is to put the new user at ease by creating an atmosphereof trust and respect, determine the user's level of Internet andcomputer expertise, and gather basic personal data through a friendlyand brief conversation before turning the user over to a virtualcharacter or avatar who will be the user's personal, discrete andunobtrusive personal assistant in the virtual environment.

This initial encounter provides the basic information necessary to shapethe personalized virtual environment that will be delivered to eachuser. The interaction between the assistant and the user is more intenseat the beginning for new Internet users in order to gather all of thenecessary information to configure the virtual environment, and lessintense for intermediate and experienced users who do not want or needassistance in the personalization process. The complete process ofpersonalization should generally be completed within 180 days.

The assistant 702 is an imaginary virtual character or avatar whoseduties are the following:

-   -   Determine the look and feel of the virtual environment for each        individual user.    -   Determine the entertainment, informational, and transactional        needs for each individual user.    -   Guide and assist users as they learn to use and enjoy the        virtual environment.    -   Monitor the user's activity in the environment to anticipate and        respond to new needs and changing preferences.    -   Introduce new features and services that fit the individual        user's profile.

The Artificial Intelligence engine that powers the Host and theAssistant, will continually monitor the user's activities and gather thedata that will guide the continued production and delivery of thevirtual environment, and maximize the revenue potential through theenvironment's commerce, maintenance and subscription services. Moreover,the Artificial Intelligence engine enables the assistant or avatar tocreate and maintain a user profile. The intelligent assistant or avataralerts the user of products or services which he or she may beinterested in based on the user's profile.

In the preferred embodiment, the intelligent assistant is portrayed asan animated character with human-like features. Other embodiments mayuse any animated characters through the use of any graphic image. Theintelligent assistant incorporates the core technology of artificialintelligence. In the preferred embodiment, the intelligent assistantexhibits human-like intelligence and behavior including cognitivereasoning, voice recognition, ability to learn or adapt throughexperience, pattern recognition, and natural language understanding.

The intelligent assistant is able to carry out its actions based on itsprior experience with the user. Thus, the intelligent assistant not onlyperforms the above mentioned tasks but also provides a human-likepersonality.

The user may communicate with the intelligent assistant via any ofseveral input sources, including a speech recognition device (amicrophone or wireless headset provides input to the speech recognitiondevice). The user can issue commands to or communicate with theintelligent assistant by voice commands entered via the microphone whichprovides input to the speech recognition device FIG. 18, 1803. Thespeech recognition device is used to provide input to the invention'sintelligent assistant by converting spoken words into text. Speech isconverted into text as if the words were typed on a keyboard. In thepreferred embodiment, the speech recognition device used to provideinput to the intelligent assistant can recognize all types ofvocabularies such as numeric digits, words, and phrases.

The intelligent assistant can respond to or communicate with the user inthree different ways. The intelligent assistant can respond to the userthrough text. The intelligent assistant can display text on the TVscreen 1807.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the intelligent assistantcommunicates through speech via a speech synthesis device 1805. Thespeech synthesis device generates machine voice by arranging phonemesinto words. The speech synthesis device is used to turn text into spokenwords. To achieve this task, the speech synthesis device performs realtime conversion without a pre-defined vocabulary.

Referring to FIG. 16, the speech synthesis device feeds from an expertsystem, providing outputs to a speaker through the speech synthesisdevice. The invention's intelligent assistant utilizes a standard audiodevice connected to the system. As the third form of communication, theintelligent assistant may communicate with the user through animation orgesture.

The assistant provides information and help to the user. The assistantbehaviors are sensitive to the history of user behavior.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention the assistant integratesdata from several sources. The assistant accepts direct interactionsfrom the user as well as using the history of previous user behaviorstored in a user profile 703. In a preferred embodiment, these inputsallow individualization of assistant interaction. Alternativeembodiments are responsive to additional data types and sources. In apreferred embodiment of this invention the diverse assistant behaviorsadapt to the user based on a variety of information about the user. Theassistant modifies its behavior on the basis of a growing history ofinteractions with the user over time, as this history of user behavioris stored in the user profile database.

The adaptation of the assistant to the user emerges from the assistant'supdating of data in the user profile database. In the preferredembodiment, the assistant's knowledge of the user is represented by datain the user profile database, in particular in the user cognitive model,which stores general materials and independent data describing how theuser behaves. As the user interacts with the virtual environment, theassistant receives information regarding the user's preferences. Theassistant updates the user profile database with data from theseinteractions. As this data is updated, the assistant adapts to the user,and thereby individualizes to the user. This adaptation is maintainedacross sessions with this user.

In the preferred embodiment, the data updated by the assistant givesmore weight to recent than past behavior. In addition, the assistanttries to anticipate future behavior.

III. Artificial Intelligence Engine

The virtual environment of this invention is based on cutting-edgetechnologies particularly powered by Artificial Intelligence and speechrecognition. The Artificial Intelligence engine is the centerpiece ofthe environment. The engine combines the strength of natural-languageparsing software, speech recognition technology, digital video and audiosoftware, data mining processes, knowledge-based, and expert systems.Combined with the capabilities of human editors and customer servicerepresentatives, the engine may anticipate and fulfill all of the users'on-line needs by pro-actively pushing choices based on preferences noton past behavior. Through this engine, the virtual environment is ableto deliver the defined services, information, and assistance its userswant and need in a simple non-technical manner. The environment appealsto the general population because it relies on a personal human andnon-technological relationship to satisfy individual needs andpreferences.

IV. Life in the Virtual Environment Post-PC Era: ContentSolution/Services that could be Provided

Content can take many shapes—text, audio, video, graphics, amongothers—and it can be delivered in any number of ways, but it is thecritical element to attracting a significant number of people to anenvironment not just one time, or once in a while, but every day andeven many times a day. However, a disorganized proliferation of contentonly adds to the frustration of new Internet users as they struggle tomaster an unfriendly medium that does not even speak their own language.

There are five principal content areas in the preferred embodiment ofthe virtual environment object of this invention—“Entertainment,”“News,” “Education,” “Personal Growth,” and “Business or ProfessionalGrowth”, divided by market segment and topical categories, as shown inthe following table. Many more content areas may be available in otherembodiments of the invention. For instance, the following table presentsone embodiment of possible contents areas of the virtual environment ofthis invention. Many other combinations are possible and fall within thescope of this invention.

Content Areas MEN WOMEN CHILDREN PROFESSIONAL FASHION/BEAUTY (3-12 YRSOLD) SPORTS COLLEGE MOTHERHOOD/CHILD HOME AND SPORTS AUTO/ DEVELOPMENTSCHOOL BOAT HOME/DECORATION PROJECTS/ ELECTRONICS ROMANCE IDEAS/GAMES/LEISURE SPORTS HEALTH/FITNESS NEW TOYS (GOLF, TENNIS, SCHOOL DIRECTORYKID PAGES HUNTING.) SUMMER CAMP CONSUMER CONSUMER DAYCARE & AFTERPRODUCT PRODUCT SCHOOL DIRECTORY REVIEWS REVIEWS LEISURE ACTIVITIESHOROSCOPE CONSUMER PRODUCT REVIEWS PARTY TEENAGERS BUSINESS PLANNING FANCLUBS TOP NEWS BABY MUSIC INTERNET NEWS CHILDREN TV/MOVIESOPINION/ANALYSIS TEEN FASHION/BEAUTY THE MARKETS THEME CYBER GAMESMOVERS & SHAKERS SPECIAL SPORTS ENTREPRENEURS & OCCASION ROMANCE SMALLBUSINESS WEDDINGS TEEN PAGES BUSINESS AGENDA CORPORATE SWAP BOARDSPERSONAL FINANCE CONSUMER HOROSCOPE CAREER CENTER PRODUCT CONSUMERPRODUCT REVIEWS REVIEWS TRAVEL/TOURISM ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT POLITICSDIRECTORIES SCHEDULES LOCAL EVENTS REVIEWS NATIONAL TRAVEL TICKETINGSERVICES PLANNING SPECIAL EVENTS SERVICES VIRTUAL VACATIONS DAILY NEWSCHURCH/RELIGIOUS PETS/MASCOTS LOCAL LOCAL CARE NATIONAL NATIONAL HEALTHINTERNATIONAL SCHEDULES GENERAL SPORTS ACTIVITIES ADVICE VET/GROOM- INGSERVICES CONSUMER PRODUCT REVIEWS PHYSICALLY SENIOR CITIZENS CHALLENGEDHEALTH RESOURCES RESOURCES HEALTH PERSONAL PERSONAL GROWTH GROWTH

Content may include original articles, professional and commercialdirectories, as well as material generated through any of the followinginformation sources:

-   -   Existing Web Sites    -   News Wires and Services    -   Subject Matter Experts    -   Writers/Reporters    -   Community, Professional, Civic, Religious Organizations and        Associations    -   Civic/Religious/Cultural Organizations and Associations    -   Professional and Amateur Sports Organizations and Associations    -   Local Clubs

In the preferred embodiment, national and local celebrities may berecruited as spokespersons or as hosts/presenters of the virtualenvironment. In addition, content may be continually refreshed by addinginformation, product, content, and services in response to consumerdemand.

In the preferred embodiment, production and presentation for eachcontent area is performed by an editorial staff composed of:

-   -   Editors/Coordinators. Responsible for coordinating the        production of material from all information sources, as well as        editing and filtering it for users.    -   Writers/Reporters. (Includes video/audio/photo/graphic        material). Responsible for producing material according to        editors/coordinators guidelines.    -   Graphic Artists. Responsible for the visual presentation of        content, according to editors/coordinators guidelines.    -   Programmers. Responsible for developing/maintaining        interactivity between the virtual environment and its users. Are        also responsible for developing and maintaining content        production and delivery tools.

Some of the services that may provided by the virtual environment can becategorized as follows:

Services provided by Application servers. Services in this category areprovided through the Internet. The virtual environment of this inventioncan organize the contents of the service and deliver them to the users.

Basic Information Services. The information is current, not repeated andthe content is customized according to a user's preferences.

Any general and some special services may be customized according tocustomer needs.

Home banking. Through its set-top box, The environment of this inventionprovides secure connections to commercial banks, enabling customers totransfer money between bank accounts, determine payment schedules,complete credit card and loan applications, purchase certificates ofdeposit and other investment products, safely pay bills, reviewstatement activity, make loan repayments, buy insurance, accessup-to-date account information and so on.

E-commerce. The environment of this invention provides a convenient andcompetitive way of shopping at home. A customer can make a purchase at aretail space on the virtual environment. A secure transaction isparamount. Competitive prices, buying suggestions, and consumer productreports will attract users. The virtual environment can be an excellentshopping assistant and companion.

The environment contains a customer management system which managesusers' profiles and preferences information enabling the delivery ofcustomized content based on the user's preferences, and supportspromotions and one-to-one marketing. The system provides the service ofdirect e-mail marketing campaigns based on subscriber profiles andpreferences.

The Artificial Intelligence engine provides many functions such as VoiceRecognition, personal preference analysis and so on. The knowledge-baseddatabase contains some domain knowledge and expertise supportingresearch, inference and expert systems, such as any E-service. Adatabase contains the data of the virtual environment.

Customer monitoring and customer feedback means, enable the system tomonitor a user's actions to the system and analyze user's behavior andprovide personal preference information to the Customer ManagementSystem. The tool can process user's feedback timely and adjust thesystem services accordingly.

Video over IP: (Needs digital video camera) Provides video conferenceservice.

Internet conference: offering one-to-one and one-to-many Internetconversation, such as chat rooms.

Web-casting: announcement, and distribution of software updates.

V. Examples of Uses of the Invention

A. Home Banking. In one embodiment of the invention, a home bankingservice may be provided through the environment of the invention. Thehome bank of said embodiment may include the following servers:

A browser or a conversation user interface (UI): The interface thatcustomers launch the home banking service from front-end client program.

A Proxy server: The proxy server with a security server providessecurity connection to void web attacks.

A web server: The web server interprets customer requests from a webbrowser.

Application server: The application server provides application specificprogram to process customer requests.

Bank server: The bank server provides the banking services listed above.

A home banking transaction in the environment of the invention typicallyhas the following steps:

1. The customer requests a bank service by using the browser or theconversation UI.

2. The set-top box opens a secure session with the proxy server and asecurity server by using SSL cryptography standard.

3. The proxy server will open an SSL session with the applicationserver.

4. The customer makes a request to run the banking application.

5. The request is encrypted and forwarded over the digital network tothe proxy and security server.

6. The request is authenticated, re-encrypted, and forwarded to theapplication server.

7. The application server requests a service from the bank server andsends the encrypted information back to the proxy server and securityserver.

8. The proxy and security servers decrypt the application, signs usingsystem's digital certificate, and then send the encrypted informationback to the set-top box.

9. The set-top box decrypted the information and opens a direct SSLconnection to the bank server.

10. The bank server retrieves the requested financial information fromthe local database and responds by sending the private data back to theset-top box.

11. The set-top box interprets the requested data and talks to the userand/or displays it on the television set or other appropriate outputmode.

B. E-commerce (encrypted credit card payments). The credit card detailsare encrypted when a user of the environment submits the informationinto the set-top e-commerce application. The details are then sent fromthe subscriber to the particular merchant as an encrypted message.

E-commerce transactions may include the following servers:

A browser or conversation user interface: to launch the set-top'se-commerce application.

E-conamerce applications: Provide a catalog containing text andmultimedia information on every merchant. A user navigates the catalogof items and decides to order a particular item.

E-commerce application for conversation: To analyze the user's need andfind a merchant either through an outside E-commerce serverinteractively or through the virtual environment directly.

A merchant server: Processes purchase requests and returns a summary ofthe order to the set-top box.

A transaction server: A transaction server at the financial institutionthat processed the transaction request.

A database server: A database server provides database access capabilityrequested by the transaction server for credit card accounts of thecustomer.

Outside server: for credit card information.

Accounting and inventory system: records purchase information andarranges the delivery of the merchant.

Verbal E-commerce interface provides shopping information through voicecommunication.

A typical E-commerce transaction in the environment of this inventionincludes the following steps:

1. The customer launches the set-top box’ e-commerce application(connecting to a merchant server);

2. The merchant server provides a catalog containing text and multimediainformation on all available merchandise;

3. The customer navigates the catalog of items and decides to order aparticular item; or the verbal E-commerce interfaces talks with thecustomer and analyzes the customer's need and finds a merchant eitherthrough an outside E-commerce server interactively or through thevirtual environment directly;

4. The set-top box establishes an SSL connection with the merchant'sserver;

5. The customer initiates the purchase process by providing payment andshipping information;

6. The merchant server receives the purchase request and returns asummary of the order to the set-top box;

7. Details of the order, including price, credit card number, shippingaddress, and order number are displayed on the television set or otheroutput medium;

8. The customer verifies the information and confirms the order back tothe merchant server;

9. The merchant server repacks the related customer information withoutthe order details by encryption and sends it to a financial institution;

10. The transaction server at the financial institution receives therequest and processes it;

11. A database server accessed by the transaction server will access adatabase of the credit card accounts of the customer;

12. If the financial institution doesn't have direct access to a creditcard database, it may send the information on to another institution orbanking network, such as Visa;

13. The bank's database server then sends a request to the credit carddatabase to debit the customer's account;

14. Similarly, it sends a request to its own customer account databaseto credit the merchant store's account with the relevant amount;

15. Once the financial transactions are completed, information of anapproval or denial returns to the server;

16. Provided the user's details are correct, the merchant server willactivate the other business processes such as inventory, accounting andfulfillment;

17. The merchandise is delivered.

C. Education. All areas of education including primary, secondary andthird level education will be moving into a new dimension in the future(Supported cable, terrestrial, satellite and MMDS). The education needsof the environment of the invention encompasses the followingcomponents:

The Set-top box’ educational application (a browser or a residentprogram): creates virtual classrooms, so students in different schoolsinteract and learn as they where in the same classroom.

A database server: stores the various educational programs.

A broadcast server: Manages and injects the requested data into the MPEGvideo system.

D. Entertainment. For example, playing games. Using a standard set-topbox and a remote control, a user can play a given game. There are threeprimary system components that may be used for supporting set-topgaming.

Broadcast server: This server is responsible for injecting or insertingthe gaming application into the digital MPEG-2 transport system.

Games application server: This server is used to store the programmingcode of the various games that are available to users of theenvironment.

Set-top box with resident games application: 1. The application can bedownloaded by the server into the set-top box or resides in the box. 2.Display the list of games. 3. Select a game. 4. Authorization. 5.Set-top box transformed into a game console.

E. E-services. E-services include different topics such as e-medical,e-travel, e-house improvement, e-gardening, and so on. An e-serviceprovides two levels of knowledge. One level is the primary knowledge ofthe topic that customers want to know or get in that field. The nextlevel provides expertise of the field that provides suggestions orsolutions to some problems customers may have. E-services in theenvironment of the invention have a rich user interface, including text,video, audio, pictures, tables, and their combinations, so thatcustomers do not feel bored by the program.

As an example of the potential applications of the virtual environmentof the invention, E-medical services may be offered as an e-service. Forexample, the environment may offer:

Graphical presentations of the human body and detailed parts, such asskeleton and organs.

Graphical presentation of human body functions categorized bysub-systems, such as digestive system and blood system;

Hierarchical presentation and back-forward link so that any part can beeasily identified and presented verbally and graphically;

Basic question and answer capability;

Testing the knowledge a customer has mastered in the field;

Output description to a printer.

The expert level provides the following functions:

Interactive capability for answering and explaining deeper questions;

An expert system for common health problem diagnostics;

Provides suggestions for possible medical treatment and providesnonprescription treatment if available;

Interface to any medical supply web site for needed medications;

Reporting personal health problem to Subscriber Management System;

Sends an e-mail to a doctor for assistance;

Places a phone call for emergency situations.

F. E-Mail

G. User Assistance and Learning. The User Assistance and Learning modulehas two major roles. The first one is training the user to use thesystem and providing online help documents. The system will introducethe environment to the user in a natural and user friendly way so thatno prerequisite knowledge is needed in learning the system. The otherone is to play the role of an assistant when the user has any problem inusing the system. The assistance includes solving problems and providingsuggestions. This system needs to talk with the Subscriber ManagementSystem and provide possible preference information.

The system may include the following functions:

Generates online help document for any service topics;

Creates a training environment for any service topics;

Be able to train a customer in a natural and friendly way;

Provide content sensitive assistance;

Log training topics for preference analysis.

VI. User Participation

Communication, interaction and participation needs in the virtualenvironment of this invention may be met through a broad array ofcommunications modes and software applications, including voice over IP,discussion style bulletin boards, person and organizational web sites,chat rooms, instant messaging, e-mail, swap boards, low and high valueauctions and virtual flee markets, classified listings, personals, usergenerated product review boards, user managed events calendars,classified listings, and professional and commercial directories, amongothers. All of these features may be supported with 24-hour, immediateresponse customer service, via e-mail, chats, instant messaging, andtelephone. The virtual environment of this invention provides theinterfaces that allow the user to integrate and use these modes ofcommunications in ways that are appropriate and customizable to theirneeds and that raise an awareness of the value of the virtual realityenvironment.

VII. User Support

The key to user acquisition and retention on the Internet is effectiveuser support. Thus, the virtual environment of the invention should besupported by a staff that reflects the composition of the generalpopulation: 30% technical and 70% non-technical personnel. Trainedcustomer experience providers must be available to assist users andmembers in every area of interaction with the virtual environment. Theymay help users and members connect to the environment, find informationand services, purchase products and conduct all of the commercial andnon-commercial transactions available in the virtual environment of thisinvention.

VIII. Hardware Specification for System

The back-end system provides the services that less fortunate usersspend so much time searching-out and setting-up with such unreliablesatisfaction; Artificial Intelligence and extension of the naturalinterface model allow tasks like banking and shopping to be performedwith speed and ease that up until now required a human helper.

User Interface: microphone/cordless phone, speaker, mouse, keyboard,TV/monitor

Set-top box: CPU, memory, storage, operating system, Internetconnectivity, device connectivity (Input/Output)

Internet Service Servers: Customer servers, application servers, backupservers, database servers

Call Center

Satellite Connectivity: Receiver, Decoder

Standards

This section lists the industrial standards recommended for thepreferred embodiment of the invention.

Network Communication Protocol

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) fortransferring information across the Internet

Document Publishing and Viewing Protocol

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)

XML (Extensible Markup Language)

DHTML (Dynamic HTML)

E-Mail Protocol

SMTP (Simple Message Transfer Protocol) for sending and receivinge-mails among servers

S/MIME (Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) forencoding/decoding binary files and email encryption

POP3 (Post Office Protocol) for accessing e-mail from a mail server

IMAP4 (Internet Message Access Protocol) similar functions to POP3 withmore features

Web Navigation Protocol

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) for retrieving web pages from webservers

Data Compression Protocol

MPEG-2

MPEG-4

Security Protocol

SSL (Secure Sockets layer) for security

SET (Secure Electronic Transaction) for supporting credit card payment

Smart Card Reader

ISO/IEC 7816-3 (International Standards Organization)

System Services and Supporting Tools

The present invention will provide to its users two groups of services.One is based on the Internet and related technologies and another ontelevision broadcasting. This section lists these services and describesthe functions needed to fulfill each service. Besides the customerservices, there are some system tools or functions to support customerservices. These tools and their descriptions are also presented in thissection.

Since some of the services are based on these tools, we will describefirst the system tools then the services.

System supporting tools

User Management System (“UMS”)

The UMS provides functions required in the virtual environment to manageuser's data such as profiles, preferences and favorites. It accesses theuser's database, provides user information to user authenticationsystem, sends requests to the user authorization system and acceptsupdates from UMS.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention the UMS includes thefollowing functions:

Register, modify, and delete users' profiles

Track and modify users' preferences and favorites

Provide users' preference and favorite report

Statistical analysis of users' records

User Billing and Account Management System (“UBAMS)

The UBAMS provides the support required in the virtual environment toaccurately manage individual's financial account. It communicates withthe UMS and user authorization system, and have interface with relatedoutside businesses such as banks and credit card companies.

This system includes the following functions:

Register, modify, and cancel subscriber financial records

Inventory management of set-top boxes and smart cards

Transaction recording and history logging

Fault management

Bill preparation and formatting

Presentation of bills in electronic formats

Accounting and auditing facilities

Multilingual and multi-currency capability

Interface with banks and credit card companies

User Authentication System (UANS)

Encrypts and decrypts data send to set-top box and received from set-topboxes;

Identifies a smart card

Identifies a subscriber's login name and password

Identifies a smart card ID

Manages a subscriber's related data

User Authorization System (SARS)

The main task of the UANS is to translate the requests coming from theSMS into entitlement management messages (EMMs) and entitlement controlmessages (ECMs). An ECM is used to carry authorization details and aresubscriber specific. ECMs, on the other hand, carry program and servicespecific information, including control words that are used by the smartcard to decrypt the relevant program. These authorization messages arethen sent via the digital multiplex to the smart card, which is locatedin the set-top-box. They are sent to users on a regular interval (forinstance, every month) to renew subscription rights on the smart cards.In the case of Pay Per View (PPV) applications, the SAS may send acertain amount of electronic tokens to the smart card that will allowusers to purchase a variety of PPV events. The SAS contains database(s)that are capable of storing the following items of information:

Pay TV product information

Data to support the electronic TV guide

Identification numbers of smart cards

Customer profiles

Scheduling data

The User Authorization System includes the following functions:

Generates EMMs and ECMs

Creates and modifies user's data of authorization

Manages pay TV product information and TV guide

Basic Information Service—system requirements:

The environment of the invention may provides the user with informationlike news, weather, sports, stock quotes, and so on. The service can becustomized according to individual tastes. The medium of the service canbe an audio broadcast or be displayed on TV. The information will beprovided during the set-top box initialization so that customers willnot notice possible delay of system initialization. Another feature ofthe environment of the invention is to provide alert or notice to users,reminding them that a new e-mail just arrived, or a television programwill be broadcasted in about 10 minutes, or a chatter asks for aconversation and waiting for his or her reply, and so on.

An important characteristic of the environment of the invention is thatthe service is user friendly and as natural as possible. In addition,the content meets users' preferences.

IX. Servers

The environment in the preferred embodiment may include the followingservers:

A user profile server: To accept a customer connection request andauthenticating the service.

A basic service server: The server composes the service information foreach registered customer according to his/her profile. When a customerlogs in to a set-top box, the customer preferred media, determined byprevious connection, presents current contents of the service, i.e. thecontents should be different from the previous logins for the same user.The contents are arranged according to their preference and no repeatedinformation is presented each time. The user can go back to reviewprevious content of the day.

An application server: When users' requests cannot be provided by theenvironment, the basic server invokes the application server to providethe needed services.

X. Smart Card

In E-commerce, using smart card instead of using a credit card topurchase an article will replace the credit transaction processes byE-cash. When the merchant server receives a confirmed purchase request,a smart card reader connected with a set-top box will accomplish themoney transaction and tell the merchant server to finish the otherpurchase process.

A smart card is just a very simple computer. It has a CPU, RAM, ROM andEEPROM for an operating system and a serial I/O interface. It has nointerface for keyboards and monitors. The software for a smart cardshould include the following tasks:

Data transmission over the bi-directional, serial terminal interface.

Loading, operating, and management of applications.

Execution control and instruction processing.

Protected access to data.

Memory management.

File management.

Management and execution of cryptographic algorithms.

A smart card reader connected to the set-top box performs the followingtasks:

Identify card acceptability.

Authenticating an individual subscriber.

Authorizing the services.

Data transaction.

No repudiation: a third party is required to verify that the transactionhappened.

Cryptography: encrypting data when transmitting.

Issuing a smart card or modifying data in a card.

Account management and money transaction when using the card

Scope/Overview

Certain aspects of the design of the preferred embodiment have severalviable alternatives. Some of the main alternatives as are identifiedherein. Nonetheless, other alternatives are possible in otherembodiments of the invention and fall within the scope therewith. Itsadvantages and the recommended configuration including mid-level blockdiagrams are described in the following sections.

1 A Vision of the Set-Top-Box as an Appliance

The Set-Top-Box (“STB”) is the user's tool to visit the environment ofthe invention; a virtual 3D world with an interface optimized for humaninteraction and preferences e.g. music, movies, TV, banking, shopping,among others. All may be available at a word request and of course arefaster and cheaper than a drive to the store.

The hardware of the STB differs from that of a regular computer. It hasno floppy drive, no noisy cooling fan, will connect to a TV, at leastwith NTSC/PAL and HDTV, VGA and S-Video, will remain options. A tuner, aremote control and a keyboard are essential in the design of thepreferred embodiment of the environment of the invention.

The software includes Speech Processing. Virtual Reality (VR) andArtificial Intelligence technologies, voice mail and video mail are alsopart of the preferred embodiment.

The design and operation of the STB are geared towards technicallyinexperienced users, who don't have the patience or inclination to dealwith software upgrades, cryptic error messages, installationconfiguration or complicated instruction manuals.

2. Participant's Interface

There should be no confusion as to how to use the STB, no ambiguity, andno apprehension or frustration generated. If the user dreads to use theenvironment of the invention, the environment is not fulfilling itspurpose.

The interface should be friendly, non-threatening even if that does notcontribute to the efficiency of an experienced user. The user will havepreemptive control, e.g. if a site, a picture or a program is loadingtoo slowly, the user will be able to “instantly” abort the process or toselect another option.

Hardware Interface

The system is designed to be ready-to-go right out-of-the-box withminimum plug-in peripherals like a mouse, keyboard, power-supply andvideo cable. More emphasis is placed on the wireless technology and onthe integration of functions into one physical case like the UniversalSerial Bus (USB) with its “plug it in anywhere, it will fit” autoconfigurability. User will interface with system hardware through mostlythree components:

1. The STB itself will have no real user interface except a power switch(and possibly a microphone and/or speaker). Certain external connectionsare user interfaces insofar as the User will have to plug-in theappropriate cables. The STB might incorporate a microphone jack, butcertainly will need audio and video outputs, etc.

2. The Voice Remote Control 1101, provides at least rudimentary cursorcontrol and select functions, as well as a microphone. In an embodimentof the invention telephone technology may be implemented in the design,because cordless phones already incorporate audio and at leastrudimentary digital (button) communications channels. A standard IRremote control might be modified to incorporate audio and use RF insteadof, or in addition to, IR for no directionality, continuous operationand non-line-of-sight operation.

3. The Passive Pointing Device (PPD) 1102: is in the form of a hardwaredevice sitting on top of the TV that provides modulated invisible IRillumination and captures and analyses images to produce cursor-controlcommands. It is designed to respond to the position of a retroreflective “marker” that would be attached to the VCR, or perhapsprovided as a separate device. The mapping of the user's control motionsto the plane of the TV screen is direct, unlike other types of pointingdevices (mouse, trackballs, joysticks, etc.).

The actual set-up of the necessary connections of the STB to theInternet, TV, and to the VCR has many permutations. Thus, in order toaccommodate for various users' needs, the user may be provided with astep-by-step user manual that contains various configurations such asthose presented in FIGS. 1-6 and in Table 1.

Software Interface:

The underlying philosophy behind this invention is the implementation ofvoice technology, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and anIntelligence Center (FIG. 8). An Illustration on how users interfacewith the system during setup and upgrades is presented in the followingparagraphs:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Set-Up: One of the main thrusts behindthe invention is the implementation of artificial intelligence. As anillustration, let us consider the first phase when the new userinteracts with the system:

-   -   To initiate the service, the participant hooks up the STB to the        TV and to his service provider through his/her phone line or        broadband cable, etc., turn it on, and uses its remote control        and/or its wireless keyboard to interact with the environment of        the invention. After turning on his new STB, the TV will show a        logo, or other suitable output, to indicate that it sees the        box. If the box detects the RF signal, i.e., if the user        correctly attached the antenna or cable TV lead, etc. to the        appropriate jack, then the STB will display a message on the TV        screen indicating that the connection is working too. At this        point in time the server starts to automatically interrogate the        STB without any input from the participant, inquiring its type        and capabilities. (e.g.: “I am a Meteoroid International Pentium        XIII 8000 MHz w/512 Mb memory, 100 GB HDD, 10×DVD, xyz-Type        Graphics Processor, running Windows NT 2001 rev 115.99, over DSL        communications, etc.”). In response, the server selects the        appropriate code package and the requested services for the STB.        It then automatically downloads/installs the appropriate        software without involving the participant. The software then        determines that the system is in a “Set-Up State”. Accordingly        an Avatar appears and announces, “Can you see me? Say ‘Yes’ or        ‘Si’ if you can, Say ‘No’ or hit ‘Delete’ if you can't.” . . .        “Can you hear me? Say ‘Yes’ or ‘Si’ if you can, Say ‘No’ or hit        ‘Delete’ if you can't.” etc. Communication may take place in any        language. These words are simultaneously displayed on the screen        where further interaction elucidates and guides the rest of the        installation. With some help from the user, the program will        detect if TV/Cable is connected correctly, if the microphone is        connected correctly, and whether the user can see and hear it,        speak to it, use the Keyboard and Remote Control, etc.

Using The Mission's Artificial Intelligence System as well as theArtificial Intelligence Center of this invention would also allow to loguser's concerns, failure events, as well as some diagnostics.

These assessments may be used to improve user services where the serverhas the capability to upgrade the code as improved versions becomeavailable, or to replace corrupted code, in a non-transparent fashion tothe user.

Artificial Intelligence for Upgrade: Once the system is initially set-upand running, the user can have a variety of interactions with it. Thebasic scenario includes those methods that are necessary and sufficientfor making effective use of the system, but enhancements, additionalhardware or features are also possible. The setup AI routine will getthe user to the optimal configuration, and will be available to helpoptimize it at any time. For example, the simplest Video connectionmight be by connecting the STB to the TV A/V jacks or even through anexternal RF modulator (like FIG. 3), but neither method is optimizeduntil some other connections are made. Software upgrades will make itpossible to provide functions to the user that are not part of the basicor initial functionality, including the detection of the installation ofany optional or enhanced peripherals. Hardware upgrades will be easilyaccommodated by an automatic invocation/installation of the requiredsoftware. If, for instance, a new IR Remote Control is used for thefirst time, or the Passive Pointing Device is installed, the user willnot have to attend to any technical manual, search for a disk ordownload a driver; whatever setup is needed it will be taken care ofautomatically, with code being downloaded from the internet (or thedistribution disk) as necessary.

Artificial Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence Center: anillustration on how to implement these concepts is presented in the midand top-level diagram shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 8.

STB Hardware Functional Blocks

The features intended for inclusion in the STB include, but are notlimited to, those shown in FIGS. 9 and 11-13 where the major functionalblocks/features are discussed below.

Video Programming enters the STB from Broadcast, Cable, Satellite orother sources through either the RF or Video Inputs 901. This is onearea where different service configurations may occur. For example,certain sources may use a baseband form, i.e., not change the modulationof the digital signals. Others may modulate the signals onto broadcastfrequency 3 or 4. In general, the signal quality is best if it isbaseband video, so that it does not have to lose quality from having togo through modulation and demodulation, but this of course is limited tofew miles. In many installations only RF (modulated) will be available,so, to have “picture-in-picture” or text/image overlay, one will need atuner/demodulator. By passing the DEMODULATED video through the box, asort of “picture-in-picture” function can be invoked, and the system canbe ready for invocation even when the user is just watching TV. Thisconvenience is key to getting the user to spend time with theenvironment and he or she must come to take this access for granted

The IR Receiver Port 902 permits compatibility with custom or standardthird-party IR keyboards 903, and with standard IR Remote Controls.

If no IR Remote control is provided, the ability to control the Powerand Volume (and other functions) of a TV requires an external IR source(“IR Blaster”) 904, probably a little emitter on the end of a cord, andeither an IR receiver (to acquire the necessary codes [“Learning Remote”function]) or the purchase of a universal remote control library such asthose available, for example, from Sejin or Universal Electronics. Themode of operation would involve the reception of a command from theVoice Remote Control (VRC) 905, which is translated into an IR command.

The IR Pointing Device Receiver 906 uses the modulated IR signalreflected from a button, baton or thimble of IR reflective material 907to control an on-screen cursor. The function of the IR Receiver Port 902might be combined into this to allow simultaneous communications andcursor control. Likewise, the modulated IR signal source, the PointingDevice Stimulus Generator 904, can also serve as an IR communicationstransmitter. In order to be able to control a TV (e.g. POWER or VOLUME),it is necessary to either have IR transmission capability on the RemoteControl, or from the STB (an “IR Blaster” function). The IR codes may beeither acquired from an existing Remote Control (“Learning”) or from alibrary of codes (“Universal”).

The Sound Processor 908 provides analog stereo signals to a TV or Stereo909, and preferably the ability to accept external input for sampling ormixing with the output (needed for use with the “Video In” function).

The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) 910 produces the output to go to theTV, as well as, preferably, an auxiliary VGA or other high-resolutionoutput. The NTSC output consists of the STB-generated video overlaying(“picture-in-picture”) or mixed with the video-programming source. Themassive graphics-processing load presented by this application is servedby a high-end GPU; currently Nvidia makes the device with bestprice/performance that is adequate. The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)is the interface used by this class of GPU.

Communications with the combination Microphone/Remote Control (VoiceRemote Control, VRC) 905 must be RF, for continuous function, as well asfor non-Line-Of-Sight operation. There are several choices as to thedetails of how this can be accomplished.

FIG. 9 shows a method relying on the RF technology developed forCordless Phones. By providing a very simple circuit on a phone-linemodem, the phone may be connected directly to the phone line through arelay, so that it would function normally, or it may be switched to asimple circuit that imitates the phone line, so that the user is now“talking to” the STB. DTMF may be decoded in order to use the buttons toperform functions, and only the DTMF-generating buttons may be usablefor control. FIG. 10 has a suggested assignment of the twelve standardphone buttons.

FIG. 11 shows another method of using the technology developed forcordless phones. Qutek has developed a telephone with a 56 k modemintegrated into its base station, with a USB connection to a computer.Depending on the details of the internal circuitry, it may be possible,in another embodiment of the invention, to slightly modify the mode ofoperation of this device to have it function as a link, connecting audiobetween the computer and the handset. Because the proprietary linkbetween the handset and base station is also available to them forprogramming, it should be possible for the modified phone to send thecomputer button-press information directly, rather than having to relyon DTMF decoding, and this would also allow the assignment of controlfunctions to the other buttons on the handset. Note that a DTMF decodingcapability may still be useful in certain cases.

FIG. 12 shows the technologically most elegant method, with a custom VRCbased on some technology like BlueTooth (BT). The easiest way to getthere would be to incorporate a standard BT transceiver card into amodified IR Remote Control (from Universal Electronics or Sejin, etc.)to incorporate RF technology in parallel with IR. This would permitchoosing a model with whatever fancy features one desires, including anintegrated Pointing Device.

At least one general-purpose Communications Port 911 may be provided forfeatures like printer and computer connectivity. USB may be used, as itis designed for expandability, and to be used for both digitally codedaudio and other digital communications. 10/100 card may be used tosupport the current interface of choice for DSL and other high-speedmodems. It may be necessary to provide an external DSL modem 912 becauseof all the different flavors that exist.

An Internal 56 k Modem 913 may be included in the STB to provide arudimentary means by which the STB can communicate via the internet ifno faster connection is available.

The CPU 914 and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) 910 systems perform theprocessing. A Hard Disk Drive (HDD) may be included as well as a fastprocessor and large memory, see table 2.

The STB has a DVD-ROM drive 915. The operating system and applicationcode may be stored on a high-density medium, a CD disk which makes itpossible to load new machines quickly, and to give the user a way toreload the system to a usable state in case of system crash. The BIOSwill determine which disk is considered for restoring the system. Thisconcept may be complemented by an Intelligence Center in order tominimize user inconvenience. This Disk will be always in the drive sothat, if the user removes it to play another disk, or for any otherreason, the application should request it back at the first reasonableopportunity, so that it doesn't become lost.

The code on the disk will not correspond to the latest version of thesoftware, but just to a workable one, with upgrades being via theconnection to the servers. As the distance between the disk version andthe latest version increases, there will come a point where it may bebetter to issue an upgraded CD. The DVD player allows the opportunity toprovide users with more option for entertainment.

In an embodiment of the invention an RF output may be provided. However,this is a relatively expensive function to add, and would probably beneeded by a small fraction of users: most TVs and most VCRs these dayshave NTSC (baseband) Video (and Audio) Inputs, the use of which is bothmore convenient and better quality than RF-modulating the video, thendemodulating it in the TV (or VCR) back to baseband. An external RFmodulator may be supplied as an option.

The preferred embodiment of the STB is presented in the configuration ofFIG. 13. The adaptation of telephone technology provides an adequateVoice Remote Control function and allows VoIP as well as normaltelephony. Functions that are not included in this configuration may beadded as part of other embodiments, e.g. the PPD and the IR RC).Detailed Specifications of the preferred embodiment of the STB arepresented in table 2.

Voice Remote Control (VRC)

The Remote Control (RC) to be used for controlling the STB must alsotransmit reasonable-quality audio for Voice Recognition (VR). It alsomust serve to control the user's TV, and serve as a cursor-controldevice.

As discussed above, there are two plausible methods of obtaining adevice capable of meeting these requirements: using Remote Controltechnology and adding wireless (RF) audio capability by implementing theemerging Blue Tooth technology or using telephone technology for itswireless RF audio capability, and adding Remote Control to it. This lastapproach is adopted in the preferred embodiment.

The sound quality for VR provided by a phone-based technology isexcellent, because the telephone design is optimized for this, andpeople are used to the associated speaking model. The earpieceencourages people to hold the microphone in the correct location,improving sound quality and stabilizing volume, and the side tonegenerated in their ear provides a feedback of their speaking volume thatfurther stabilizes it. The telephone technology might be incorporated inone of two ways, by allowing any phone to be used, or by using a specialdesign that incorporates the necessary circuits into a phone.

To make any phone serve as a VRC, it is be necessary to provide forconnecting the phone to a regular phone line, so that it can functionnormally, as well as to a “Telco simulator” circuit. A pair of resistorsconnected to +12V and −12V should be sufficient, as this givesproperties similar to those a phone sees when it is picked-up as anextension on an established conversation. Audio from the STB isgenerated and coupled to the phone. The audio from the phone is thensampled and sent to the STB. It would be reasonable to combine thisfunction with either a modem (a “software modem”) or a sound card, orboth. Because one of the important advantages of this scheme is allowingthe user to employ his or her own phone, the one he already has, theuser is provided with a method by which the phone can be made tofunction normally (by connecting it through a switch [relay] to thephone line when it is not being used as a Remote Control). This methodwould only allow control functions to be assigned to the twelveDTMF-generating buttons, a significant limitation.

The Blue Tooth (BT) is supposed to eventually cost no more than $5 toincorporate into a device: Once the base station is in place, all sortsof wireless interactions with all sorts of devices (cell phones, PDAs,printers, computers, etc.) are possible further embodiments of theinvention. To control the user's TV or other devices, one would have toarrange to get access to the library of IR codes maintained by a“Universal Remote Control” manufacturer (Sejin and Universal are two),or we one have to incorporate an IR receiver and implement a “Learning”method. Three major advantages of this approach are the abundance ofbuttons provided, the availability of universal libraries of codes (andthe presence of an IR emitter) for controlling TVs, and the existence ofmodels with various sorts of pointing devices.

All likely features intended for inclusion in the Smart Control areincluded, but not limited to, in those shown in FIG. 14. Majorfunctional blocks/features are discussed below:

-   -   The communications port labeled “To PDA” 1401 allows this        control's micro controller 1402 to communicate with such a        device that may be used to contain e-mail addresses, telephone        numbers, and function-expanding software, possibly including        Voice Recognition (VR). The PDA may also communicate        (indirectly) with the Set-Top Box (STB) 1403 and also through        the Infra Red (IR) transmit 1404 and receive 1405 blocks, which        makes possible a very powerful Universal Remote Control        function.    -   RF communications 1406 allow the device to control functions of        the STB, to serve as a communications channel between the PDA        and STB, to be controlled by the STB (since BlueTooth or a        similar bi-directional communications protocol may be used), and        to function as a wireless handset for a landline POTS telephone,        Internet telephone, or for VR control. Enhanced functionality        may incorporate the full functions of a PCS or Cellular        telephone into these blocks.    -   The IR transmitter 1404 allows control of existing Audio/Video        equipment and may be used in conjunction with the STE to provide        an on-screen cursor-control function in an embodiment lacking        RF.    -   The IR receiver 1405 allows for programming the IR control codes        for equipment not supported by an internal library of codes.    -   A display 1407 may be used for such functions as Caller ID,        Number Last Dialed, or system status. A more extensive display        may be incorporated into the PDA.    -   The speaker 1408 can be used both for allowing the STB's program        to interact audibly with the user without disturbing others        present, in a “Remote Locate” beeping function, and when the        device is used as a telephone. By implementing side tone and        audio from the speaker, the user is encouraged to hold the        microphone 1409 in the optimal position and keep a regulated        speaking volume. This is important for VR (Voice Recognition).    -   The microphone 1409 can be used both for allowing the user to        interact verbally with the STB (through VR), and when the device        is used as a telephone, and for recording voice messages to be        sent by e-mail.    -   The keypad 1410 allows for system control, including cursor        control, and telephone or VoIP (Voice over Internet        Protocol/Provider) (Internet Phone) dialing.

FIG. 15 shows conceptually the preferred initial embodiment obtained bymaking use of existing wireless telephone technology by one methoddiscussed above under “Preferred Configuration of the Set-Top-Box.” Somedetails of this implementation are omitted from FIG. 15 that pertain tothe connection of the base station of the cordless phone adaptation. Seediscussion of DTMF decoding and suggested keypad assignments. Note thatthe necessary control of TV functions (Power, Volume, etc.) must, inthis embodiment, be via an “IR Blaster” function incorporated into theSTB.

If a telephone incorporating a USB or other bi-directional digitalcommunications channel to the STB is constructed, it is important thatcertain control commands be available for maximum ease in programmingand flexibility of function. Further, it is probably best to make aslittle of the actual control sequence as possible incorporated in thephone device itself, and provide a rich set of low-level commands, as itis easier to correct program errors and add new features by changing theSTB's program.

Below is a list of suggested hardware commands to be made available. Insome embodiments, they are not actually necessary, for example “GenerateDTMF Digit” as this could be done in the computer and transferred as anaudio stream, but the phone can do this easier, and reduce thecomputational load. Likewise with the button press information: The DTMFgenerated by the numeral buttons can be recognized/decoded in thecomputer, but it is already necessary to report the key presses of thenon-numeral buttons, if they are to be used for remote controlfunctions. Either in response to a specific status request, or inresponse to any successful command, the phone/RC should respond with amessage that reports status, for example, hookswitch and buttonconditions, whether status has changed since last status report, etc.Here is a suggestion of how many bits to report (bits):

-   -   (1) Hookswitch current status    -   ( ) Hookswitch control local or computer (maybe more bits for        “mode”).    -   (1) Speakerphone activated.    -   (3) Speakerphone volume    -   (3) Earpiece volume    -   (6×2) Pipe status for each possible pipe (Open/Closed, error).    -   (˜20) Status of each button.    -   (1) Whether any button has changed since last status.    -   (1) Loop current detected.    -   (1) Ringing detected since last status (SLS).    -   (8) New Caller ID available (how many are available in phone        memory).    -   (1) User change of speed dial memory occurred SLS.    -   (8) Telephone number dialed SLS (how many are available in phone        memory).    -   (8) New DTMF digit detected SLS (how many are available in phone        memory).    -   (1) Handset in cradle (charging).    -   (1) Handset needs charging.    -   (1) Handset active (transmitting).    -   (1) Handset functioning. (Detects whether handset is in-range,        charged, turned-on.)    -   (˜8) Model/capabilities.    -   So about 81 bits would be reported. Other, special reports would        be in response to queries for the contents of Last Number Dialed        register(s), Speed Dial registers, and Caller ID.

As far as the possible audio channels, there are a variety of functionsthat may be provided if the hardware is sufficiently flexible. Assumingthere are six audio channels, three “in” and three “out”, as in thetable below, here are some functions, and the pipes that would beneeded:

-   -   (1) Monitor the line for busy signals and dial tone and such,        for placing automatic phone calls, modem smart retries, “camp        on” function. (3)    -   (2) User calls in to tell machine “Record ‘Survivor’ for me        tonight.” (Remote Control) (3,4)    -   (3) Answering Machine. (3,4)    -   (4) Normal use as Voice Remote Control. (1,2) possibly (5,6),        (1,6), (1,2,6) etc.    -   (5) Get Billy's attention because you've left him an emergency        voice message ( . . . BILL . . . BILL . . . BILL . . . ) or        there's an urgent e-mail addressed to Sally ( . . . SALLY . . .        SALLY . . . ) (6)        Passive Pointing Device (PPD)

The Pointing Device (PD) supplied with the system is to be in two parts,a part resident on or in or adjacent to the Set-Top Box (STB), and apassive part that will be in the form of a reflective button, thimble orbaton. The mode of operation would not require this to be either aunique material or object, nor for it to be of expensive construction. Abicycle reflector (provided it reflects Infra-Red light [IR]) would beadequate.

The operation of the PPD may be described as follows: A device equippedwith an optical array sensor tracks the position of the pointing devicetarget by its reflectivity. It does this in a way that avoidsinterference caused by extraneous light sources by providing its ownsignature illumination, readily distinguishable from other sources ofillumination. In the preferred embodiment the illumination should be IRand should be modulated in a way that can be detected in the presence ofother light sources. By taking “pictures” of the room scene with theillumination alternately ON and OFF, the difference between twoconsecutive values of a given pixel will usually be proportional to thereflectivity, in the IR, of the objects visible in the solid volumewhose projection corresponds to the particular pixel. (Exceptions areinstances where a light source is suddenly occluded or extinguished, orthe reverse.) Most objects are not particularly reflective in the IR,but retro reflectors are extremely so, so they will normally dominatethis reflective image if present.

The reflective image can be processed in several ways to detect motion:an algorithm may identify and track the most reflective objects(represented by individual pixels or contiguous groups that have higherreflectivity than the background) or an auto correlation function canrepeatedly try fits in each of the cardinal directions, reporting motionwhen one of these produces a better fit than the null correlation, or achange in the position of the center-of-mass or centroid of the wholedistribution could be reported. The first method requires a much greaterdegree of abstraction and computation, as abstracting identifiable“objects” from the scene's background and maintaining an identificationof them as they morph and move is a nontrivial problem. The secondmethod also involves considerable computation, as the autocorrelationfunction would require on the order of 5n (n is the number of pixels)multiplications for each frame. The last method requires only on theorder of n multiplications. The three methods would also appear to offerdecreasing levels of precision, but at least the last method would allowthe contamination of the visible scene with extraneous reflectiveobjects to cause only gradual and graceful degradation of sensitivity,as the amount of motion of the PD target needed to move the centroidwill increase as the proportion of the reflectivity contributed by thetarget decreases. Even this might be remedied by a long time-constantper-pixel or “Fatigue” function. The properties of the second methodremain to be investigated, but it appears that, in the absence of aFatigue function, it would take very little background reflectivity tooverwhelm the contribution that would be made to the overallautocorrelation by a moving target.

A high-powered LED is the obvious choice for the illumination source, acommercial retro reflector for the target, leaving the sensor as theleast defined of the system components. A low-resolution array as usedin the HDNS-2000 optical mouse pointing engine from Agilent (HP) wouldbe sufficient if only resolution sufficient to navigate web sites on theTV or to select menu items or control buttons is the intendedapplication. It is doubtful this PD idea could ever be sufficientlyaccurate for purposes like drafting or editing text. The IR source couldalso be used as a Command and Control (C&C) output for home electronics(like a stereo), or to transmit to a device like a PDA that is equippedsimilarly (see the Set-Top Box Analysis, discussed above).

Operating the system at a high image rate compared to the 120 (or 100)Hz flash rate of fluorescent and other discharge-based lighting wouldallow this source of interference to be ignored, as would synchronizingthe image rate to the flash rate (or a sub harmonic), or using a ratethat matches closely enough that the changing contribution of thisillumination source frame-to-frame is minor. Otherwise, some form offrame-wide intensity normalization may be helpful.

The density of the pixels into which the scene is divided largelydetermines the resolution of the PD, even though the methods above,especially “object tracking” and “centroid tracking,” can obtainsub-pixel motion information. Even if an image array with finergranularity than needed is used, summing the outputs of blocks of pixelscan reduce the computational load. The distribution of the projectedpixels, and therefore of the PD sensitivity in the field need not beuniform. If the peripheral pixels were radially “stretched” by theoptical system, or if the effective pixels used by the system werecomposed of the unions of non uniformly distributed physical sensorpixels, the sensitivity at the center of the scene (presumably directlyin front of the display in use [probably a TV]) could be greater thantowards the periphery, allowing the pointing device to operate over agiven projected “area” (solid angle) with a given (peak) resolution,with reduced computational load.

Of the arrays listed, the TV-type camera ones are the most prevalent,and are likely cheaper than the low-density ones due to their volumemanufacturing economics. The only low-density array-based product thatcould be found that is in actual production is the HP/Agilent HDNS2000optical mouse sensor, which would, with a change of the embedded code,serve the purposes of this invention, except that this would probablychange the price considerably from what the mouse manufacturers arepaying. On the other hand, if it is possible to synchronize anilluminator with the electronic shutter function of a normal digitalcamera, then, provided the camera is sensitive to the IR illumination,one should be able to extract cursor-control information from itsoutput. The camera would still be able to function as a “web cam,”except that there might be some objectionable artifacts introduced whilethe tracking system of the PD is active.

Glossary

AGP: (Accelerated Graphics Port) A high-speed graphics port from Intelthat provides a direct connection between the display adapter andmemory. AGP is faster than PCI, and only one AGP slot is provided onAGP-equipped motherboards. The PCI slot that would normally hold thedisplay adapter can be used for another device. The brown AGP slot isslightly shorter than the white PCI slot and is located about an inchfarther back.AGP uses a 32-bit bus. The original AGP standard (AGP 1×) provides adata transfer rate of 264 Mbytes/sec. AGP 2× is 528 Mbytes/sec. AGP 4×is 1 Gbytes/sec. AGP 8× is 2 Gbytes/sec.BIOS: (Basic Input Output System) An essential set of routines in a PC,which is stored on a chip and provides an interface between theoperating system and the hardware. The BIOS supports all peripheraltechnologies and internal services such as the real time clock (time anddate). The BIOS tests the system and prepares the computer for operationby querying its own small CMOS memory bank for drive and otherconfiguration settings. It searches for other BIOS's on the plug-inboards and sets up pointers (interrupt vectors) in memory to accessthose routines. It then loads the operating system and passes control toit. The DIOS accepts requests from the drivers as well as theapplication programs. BIOS's must periodically be updated to keep pacewith new peripheral technologies. If the BIOS is stored on a ROM chip(ROM BIOS), it must be replaced. Newer BIOSs are stored on a flashmemory chip that can be upgraded via software. See BIOS upgrades.

On startup, the BIOS searches all peripheral controllers in the systemto obtain the current configuration, which it makes available to thesoftware.

Bluetooth: A wireless personal area network (PAN) technology from theBluetooth Special Interest Group, (www.bluetooth.com), founded in 1998by Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Nokia and Toshiba. Bluetooth is an openstandard for short-range transmission of digital voice and data betweenmobile devices (laptops, PDAs, phones) and desktop devices. It supportspoint-to-point and multipoint applicationsBluetooth provides up to 720 Kbps data transfer within a range of 10meters and up to 100 meters with a power boost. Unlike IrDA, whichrequires that devices be aimed at each other (line of sight), Bluetoothuses omni directional radio waves that can transmit through walls andother non-metal barriers. Bluetooth transmits in the unlicensed 2.4 GHzband and uses a frequency hopping spread spectrum technique that changesits signal 1600 times per second. If there is interference from otherdevices, the transmission does not stop, but its speed is downgraded.The name Bluetooth comes from King Harald Blatan (Bluetooth) of Denmark.In the 10th century, he began to Christianize the country. Ericsson(Scandinavian company) was the first to develop this specificationCPU: (Central Processing Unit) The computing part of the computer. Alsocalled the “processor,” it is made up of the control unit and ALU.Today, the CPUs of almost all computers are contained on a single chip.DTMF: (Dual-Tone Multi Frequency) The type of audio signals that aregenerated when you press the buttons on a touch-tone telephone.LED: (Light Emitting Diode) A display technology that uses asemiconductor diode that emits light when charged. It usually gives offa red glow, although other colors can be generated. It is used inreadouts and on/off lights in a myriad of electronic appliances. It wasthe first digital watch display, but was superseded by LCD, which usesless power.LEDs are also used as a light source for fiber-optic transmission. Theyare typically used with lower-bandwidth multimode fibers.NTSC: (National TV Standards Committee) A color TV standard that wasdeveloped in the U.S. Administered by the FCC, NTSC broadcasts 30interlaced frames per second (60 half frames per second, or 60 “fields”per second in TV jargon) at 525 lines of resolution. The signal is acomposite of red, green and blue and includes an audio FM frequency andan MTS signal for stereo. NTSC is used throughout the world includingthe U.S., Canada, Japan, South Korea, and several Central and SouthAmerican countries.PAL: (Phase Alternating Line) A color TV standard that was developed inGermany. It broadcasts 25 interlaced frames per second (50 half framesper second) at 625 lines of resolution. Brazil uses PAL M, whichbroadcasts 30 fps. PAL is used throughout Europe and China as well as invarious African, South American and Middle Eastern countries. PAL'scolor signals are maintained automatically, and the TV set does not havea user-adjustable hue control.RF: (Radio Frequency) The range of electromagnetic frequencies above theaudio range and below visible light. All broadcast transmissions, fromAM radio to satellites, fall into this range, which is between 30 kHzand 300 GHz.S-video: (Super-video) Recording and transmitting video by keepingluminance (Y) and color information (C) on separate channels. S-videouses a special 5-pin connector rather than the common RCA phono plug. Itis widely used on camcorders, VCRs and A/V receivers and amplifiers. IfS-video connectors are available between the two devices you want tohook up, using an S-video cable will improve transmission quality andthe image at the receiving end.USB: (Universal Serial Bus) USB connects more than computers andperipherals. It has the power to connect you with a whole new world ofPC experiences. USB is your instant connection to the fun of digitalphotography or the limitless creative possibilities of digital imaging.A person can use USB to connect with other people through the power ofPC-telephony and video conferencing.VGA: (Video Graphics Array) The minimum standard for PC video display,which originated with IBM's PS/2 models in 1987. It supports earlier CGAand EGA modes and requires an analog monitor. VGA was initially 640×480pixels with 16 colors, but non-IBM vendors quickly boosted resolutionand colors to so-called “Super VGA,” which was later standardized byVESA. All VGA display adapters today start at 256 colorsIP telephony: The two-way transmission of audio over an IP network. Whenused in a private intranet or WAN, it is generally known as “voice overIP,” or “VoIP.” When the public Internet is the transport vehicle, it isreferred to as “Internet telephony,” however; all three terms are usedsynonymously.

Private networks can provide from good to excellent quality, matchingthat of the PSTN. Over the Internet, voice quality varies considerably;however, protocols that support quality of service (QoS) are expected toimprove this condition. Nevertheless, Internet telephony means freevoice calls as long as sending and receiving users have identicalsoftware that uses proprietary techniques or compatible software thatuses the H.323 standard. They must also be willing to talk from theirPCs and to prearrange the times to talk. When users go online and launchtheir IP telephony client software, the session and current IP addressis registered on a directory server on the Internet so that others maycontact them. Using Internet telephony service providers (ITSPs), userscan make PC-to-phone or phone-to-phone calls, using the Internet as thenetwork backbone. ITSPs have been initially popular for internationalcalls. Another IP telephony application that is expected to take off iswith call centers that can answer a question directly from a Web site.This voice integration is desired by users and vendors alike and isexpected to flourish in the 2002-2003 time frame. The IP protocol iseither being used or being considered for future network backbones byall the major telecom carriers

10/100 card: An Ethernet network adapter (NIC) that supports both 10BaseT (10 Mbps) and 100 BaseT (100 Mbps) access methods. Most cards autonegotiate at startup, enabling them to run at the higher speed ifsupported by the device they are connected to (hub or switch).PSTN—Plain Standard Telephone NetworkISDN—Integrated Services Digital NetworkxDSL—Digital Subscriber LineW-LAN—Wireless Local Area Network (WEE 802.11)LAN—Local Area NetworkWAN—Wide Area NetworkSTB—Set-Top BoxSet-Top Box Software

The set-top box software assists in providing the following functions,some of which are described hereinafter: speech recognition, speechsynthesis, Internet surfing by using a browser, E-mail, Voice over IP,Video over IP, support printer, subscriber authentication, subscriberprofile management, data package and un-package, data encryption anddecryption, data transmission and communication, user interface, taskdispatch and control, system diagnostics and recovery, systeminitialization, load memory residence programs, set-top box parameters,verifying system hardware functions, and launch system start program.

Interactive user interface. The user interface includes two types ofmedia. One is voice input/output. The other is electronic signal. Itincludes input from a keyboard, a mouse and a controller; and output toa television, a monitor or any equipment connected to output ports, suchas a printer.

Authentication. Authentication may be carried out on both the serverside and on the user side. User side authentication will initially comefrom the server and may be updated periodically. The server sideauthentication may be carried out when a request is initialed and everytransaction may be verified. Simplified user profile can be stored inthe user side so that authentication can be done in the user side toaccelerate connectivity with processing. Verification of a valid userinput, like password, should be done in the user side unless assistanceis required.

Data encryption and decryption. Some data may be encrypted beforesending to and be decrypted after received from the servers.

Data packaging and un-packaging. Data may be transmitted and received ina standard package size and format.

User side communication mechanism to connect to a server and sendcustomer requests.

A web browser with special functions to display and retrieve data fromInternet.

A speech recognition program to accept some voice inputs. Complicatedrecognition tasks may be implemented at server side.

A dispatch program to control the behavior of all user interfaces,including submitting and canceling customer requests.

Output ports. Transmit data to connected equipment, such as a printer ifa printer is connected to the set-top box. System diagnostics andrecovery functions.

E-mail user interface for reviewing, composing, deleting e-mail,managing the address book, organizing e-mail in a virtual mail box,printing an e-mail, allowing mail attachments, and so on.

Create and modify customer favorites. Some utilities for storing,accessing and changing downloaded and/or client side data; teletex forcustomer alert or notice.

TV services. The client program will accept the traditional TV services,support enhanced (interactive) TV programs, and have the control abilityover any other TV programs according to customer requests. Thetraditional TV program or any audio/video signals inputs to the set-topbox can be sent to its output directly.

Verbal Communication User Interface Components

The speech recognition system must include at least the followingcomponents: a speech recognizer 1601 to convert a voice input 1602 intotext according to given vocabulary and grammar models 1603 of the domainknowledge of a language, and a language analyzer 1604 to extract meaningfrom text by syntactic parsing and semantic interpretation of the textaccording to semantic rules 1605.

An expert system 1606 with a domain knowledgebase supports the selectionof desired actions from the meaning and issues commands to the system toinvoke proper actions 1607, such as accessing data from a databasesystem, communicating with other systems, and reporting status ofactions. The results of actions are reported in voice communication by avoice synthesizer 1608.

The voice synthesizer must include the following components: a textgenerator to construct a reply in text form according to the status andresults of executing commands and the text from; and a text-to-speechsynthesizer to convert the text reply into machine generated speechaccording to pronunciation rules of the language.

In order to improve the verbal communication user interface, “virtualreality” technology is used.

C. Remote Controller

There are three different embodiments of remotes in the system of thepresent invention. All are wireless and use IR or RF signals or hybridIR/RF frequency for communicating (transmitting and receiving) with theSet-Top-Box, PC, TV, VCR, Stereo and Camcorders.

1. Universal Remote. This remote encompasses the following components:wireless microphone and a speaker, wireless pointer device, e.g.wireless mouse, wireless Controller for the TV, VCR, stereo systems andcamcorders.

2. Global Remote. This remote encompasses the following components:wireless microphone and speaker (for cordless phone function), wirelesspointer device, e.g. wireless mouse, wireless controller for the TV,VCR, stereo systems and camcorders.

3. Upgrade Remote. “Smart Remote”. The Upgrade Remote embodiment is inthe form of a “Personal Digital Assistant” (PDA) with a central processunit (CPU) and memory.

The remote includes two physical parts, a base and an attachment. Thetwo parts can be connected in following ways 1701: IR, RF, Plug in orslide in.

The base includes the following functions: wireless connection to theset-top box 1702 through IR and RF:

Functioning as a regular cordless telephone

Wireless pointer device, e.g. wireless mouse

Wireless controller for the TV, VCR, stereo system and camcorders

Controls for surfing Internet: Back, Forward, Search, Stop, Home,Refresh, Book Marks, Address Book, Reload, and Arrow Keys

Voice communication capability with the set-top box.

The base contains the following physical buttons: adaptor for theattachment to connect, connector to a set-top box 1703 for batteryrecharge, buttons arranged for all functions

The attachment contains the CPU and the memory with battery as powersupply. Detached from the base, the attachment can work independentlywith the functions:

Scientific calculator

Address book and phone book with editing, storing data functions

Dictionary with searching and pattern matching functions

Scheduler with modifying, alerting functions

Calendar, for any years in the past and future, displayed by day, month,or year.

The attachment contains the following physical parts and buttons:connector to connect the base, LCD display, and an alphanumeric inputpad.

When the base and the attachment are connected by one of the abovementioned connection mechanisms, additional functions are availablebesides the functions provided in each separate part:

Switch controls for different functions (more details: between TV modeand Internet mode)

Number pad for telephone functions

Reduce sized alphanumeric pad for text editor

Data transmission from the attachment to the set-top box, which isconnected to the virtual environment.

Functional description of the Smart Control

The features in the Smart Control include, but are not limited to, thoseshown in FIG. 4. Major functional blocks/features are discussed below:

The communications port labeled “To PDA” 1701 allows this control'smicrocontroller 1704 to communicate with such a device that may be usedto contain e-mail addressed, telephone numbers, and function-expandingsoftware, possibly including Voice Recognition (“VR”). The connection tothe Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”) from the microphone's A/DConverter 1705 (ADC) allows this. This connection may be conceptual,mediated by the microcontroller 1704, rather than actual and direct. ThePDA may also communicate (indirectly) with the Set-Top Box (STB) 1706and through the InfraRed (IR) transmit 1708 and receive 1709 blocks.

Digital 1710 and Analog 1711 RF communications allow the device tocontrol functions of the STB 1706, to serve as a communications channelbetween the PDA and STB 1706, to be controlled by the STB 1706, and tofunction as a wireless handset for a land-line POTS telephone, internettelephone, or for VR control. Enhanced functionality may incorporate thefull functions of a PCS or Cellular telephone into these blocks.

The IR transmitter 1708 allows control of existing audio/video equipment1712, 1713 and may be used in conjunction with the STB 1706 to providean on-screen cursor-control function.

The IR receiver 1709 allows for programming the IR control codes forequipment not supported by an internal library of codes.

A display may be used for such functions as Caller ID, Last NumberDialed, and system status. A more extensive display may be incorporatedinto the PDA.

The speaker 1714 can be used both for allowing the STB's 1706 program tointeract audibly with the user without disturbing others present, in a“Remote Locate” beeping function, and when the device is used as atelephone.

The microphone or headset 1715 can be used both for allowing the user tointeract verbally with the STB 1706 (through VR), and when the device isused as a telephone, and for recording voice messages to be sent bye-mail.

The keyboard 1716 allows the composition of e-mail messages and forsystem control.

NETWORK ARCHITECTURE

Set-Top Box Connectivity Considerations

Set-Top Box (STB) connectivity to the virtual environment's POP (pointof presence) could be achieved via the following methods:

1. Classified by communication link: PSTN, analog modem, ISDN, xDSL,cable, satellite, W-LAN (Wireless LAN), WAN, LAN, WAP (Wireless AccessProtocol).

2. Classified by Applications service provider (“ASP”).

-   -   a. Connection directly to ASP. Connection to local POP: Analog,        ISDN, xDSL, cable, W-LAN, WAN, LANAP    -   b. Dial-up Networking to centralized ASP through call        forwarding: Analog, ISDN, xDSL, Cable    -   c. Connection to centralized ASP: Analog (toll-free), ISDN        (toll-free), Satellite, Cable, WAN, WAP    -   d. Connection to customer's own ASP and through Internet to        virtual environment: Analog, ISDN, xDSL, Cable, Satellite,        W-LAN, WAN, LAN, WAP    -   e. Connection to ISP and through network to virtual environment:        Analog, ISDN, xDSL, Cable, Satellite, W-LAN, WAN, LAN, WAP

There are several embodiments of server location considerations for thevirtual environment object of this invention:

Centralized model (all servers situated at the same location)

Distributed model (multiple servers serving specific region or audiencewith different degrees of redundancy)

-   -   Distributed location with no backup at centralized location    -   Distributed location with some backup at centralized location    -   Distributed location with full backup at centralized location        (centralized mirroring)    -   Distributed location with backup at other regional locations        (distributed mirroring)

In addition, there are several Data Center considerations for thedifferent embodiments of the invention:

Power requirements

-   -   Multiple sources of AC power (from different power companies)    -   UPS    -   Generation Facilities

Network connectivity requirements

-   -   Multiple fiber connections to different Internet Access        Providers

High Availability requirements

-   -   Network connectivity    -   Network equipment    -   Server farm

Database backup and redundancy requirements

HVAC and Air Flow/Air Exchange requirements

Plant and facilities requirements

In addition to all of the foregoing, there are several considerationsthat must be addressed in the different embodiments of the inventionsuch as: location, staffing, and hours of operation.

Finally, in the different embodiments, there are several serverarrangement that may be considered such as: Development Servers,Database Servers, QA Servers, Back office servers, and Intranet/InternetWeb servers.

Sales fees are earned by executing purchases by subscribers frommerchant partners and retailers, securing volume discounts that will besold in the environment with quality of service and transactionalsupport provided by a customer service staff. Eventually, the virtualshopping zone will become an online department store, offering anyproducts desired by its members or subscribers. The virtual shoppingzone is not a mere conduit between its members and vendors, earning asmall transaction fee.

There will be recurring special services and subscription fees generatedfrom customers who subscribe to a number of highly individualizedpremium services and information and entertainment options delivered bythe environment.

Earn fees through the financing of purchases of all type of consumergoods and financial products by members through the environment(financial wallet and credit card fees.

TABLE 1 Operation of the STB, VCR and TV in various different hook-ups:Available Modes of Operation: * indicatesIndicates mode with STBin-line, underline indicates TV mode with premium (decrypted) channels.Cable Box (RF IN The last entry in a row is the tuner to use once theother settings in the Case: Output: VCR setting assumed) row areestablished. 1 All Chan- RF Ch 3 (4) Baseband TV tuner nels (asAs Out +A/V In * TV tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner though not Baseband A/V * TVtuner = “A/V In” STB tuner = “A/V In” VCR tuner there) Out (standard) *TV tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner = “3 (4)” VCR tuner 2 3 (4), RF Ch 3 (4)Baseband TV tuner including Out + A/V In * TV tuner = “A/V In” STB tunerDecrypted Baseband A/V * TV tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner = “A/V In” VCRtuner = 3 (4) Cable Box tuner Channels Out (standard) * TV tuner = “A/VIn” STB tuner = “A/V In” VCR tuner = “A/V In” Cable Box tuner but can bebypassed. 3 3 (4), RF Ch 3 (4) No * TV tuner = 3 (4) STB tuner includingOut + Baseband * TV tuner = 3 (4) STB tuner = “A/V In” VCR tuner = 3 (4)Cable Box tuner Decrypted Baseband A/V A/V In * TV tuner = 3 (4) STBtuner = “A/V In” VCR tuner = “A/V In” Cable Box tuner Channels Out(standard) but can be bypassed. 4a 3(4), RF Ch 3 (4) Baseband TV tuner =3 (4) VCR tuner = 3 (4) Cable Box tuner including Out + A/V In * TVtuner = 3 (4) VCR tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner = 3 (4) Cable Box tunerDecrypted Baseband A/V * TV tuner = 3 (4) VCR tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner= “A/V In” Cable Box tuner Channels. Out (standard) TV tuner = “A/V In”VCR tuner = 3 (4) Cable Box tuner * TV tuner = “A/V In” VCR tuner = “A/VIn” STB tuner = 3 (4) Cable Box tuner * TV tuner = “A/V In” VCR tuner =“A/V In” STB tuner = “A/V In” Cable Box tuner 4b 3 (4), RF Ch 3 (4)Baseband TV tuner = 3 (4) VCR tuner including Out + A/V In * TV tuner =3 (4) VCR tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner Decrypted Baseband A/V * TV tuner =3 (4) VCR tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner = “A/V In” Cable Box tuner ChannelsOut (standard) TV tuner = “A/V In” VCR tuner but can be * TV tuner =“A/V In” VCR tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner bypassed. * TV tuner = “A/V In”VCR tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner = “A/V In” Cable Box tuner 4c 3 (4), RFCh 3 (4) Baseband TV tuner = 3 (4) VCR tuner including Out + A/V In * TVtuner = 3 (4) VCR tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner = 3 (4) Cable Box tunerDecrypted Baseband A/V * TV tuner = 3 (4) VCR tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner“A/V In” Cable Box tuner Channels Out (standard) TV tuner = “A/V In” VCRtuner but can be * TV tuner = “A/V In” VCR tuner = “A/V In” STB tuner =3 (4) Cable Box tuner bypassed. * TV tuner = “A/V In” VCR tuner = “A/VIn” STB tuner = “A/V In” Cable Box tuner

TABLE 2 STB Specifications * Component: Rating or Type (minimal) CommentProcessor X86 (Pentium Celeron or Duron) - class, minimum 800 MHz MainMemory 128 MB Hard Disk 20 GB Probably no smaller available. RemovableDVD CD would be Disk Drive adequate, but a DVD has marketing advantages.A Floppy drive is out of the question: the User would think of themachine as a scary computer. Removable DVD-ROM w/ OS, Disk operatingcode. GPU NVIDIA GeForce MX GPU Memory 32 MB Uncommitted 10/100 Base-T,I/O two USB IR IR receiver for 40 Communications kHz consumer band, IRblaster port for transmitting. Peripherals Modified Cordless PassivePointing Device Telephone for Voice (PPD) for later, IR Remote RemoteControl (and Control, or IR Remote 56k modem), IR Control w/RF, Voiceadded keyboard (40 kHz, to be optional. not IRDA). * Note that these areoff-the-shelf components

TABLE 3 Phone VRC Commands Command Name Accomplishes HookSw(R ) R = 0:Just report hookswitch status. 1 R = 1: Open the hookswitch. R = 2:Close the hookswitch. R = 3: Restore local hookswitch control.AudioPipeOpen (P) Create and Open an isochronous pipe for 1 audio. Notall of these may be possible, not all may be possible simultaneously,but the first two are necessary. P = 1: From HS microphone to computer.P = 2: From computer to HS speaker. P = 3: From phone line to computer(remote control). P = 4: From computer to phone (remote control). P = 5:From speakerphone microphone to computer. P = 6: From computer tospeakerphone speaker. AudioPipeClose (P) Similar to above. 1DataPipeOpen ( ) For (56k) modem use. 2 DataPipeClose ( ) For (56k)modem use. 2 Various Modem For (56k) modem use. 2 CommandsSpeedDialReport (N) Returns the contents of a Speed-dial entry. 4SpeedDialSet (N, [n] ) Sets the contents of a Speed-dial entry. 4(Maintain the list on the computer, but it works when the computer isoff! Magic!) GetCallIDs ( ) Returns contents of all, if any, new Caller4 ID entries. GetLastNumbers ( ) Returns contents of all, if any, newdialed 4 number entries. DialDigit (n, t) Generate a DTMF digit(including pause) for 2 (t*10) ms (dial). (It may also be possible touse this to invoke other “phone tones” like ringback, busy, etc. if n >16.) DialNumber ([n] ) Generate a sequence of DMTF digits 3 (includingpause) (dial). MakeRingTone (t) Activate the electronic ringer, eitherdefault 3 cadence (t = 0) or for a multiple of 500 ms (t = integer).InvokeButton (N) JIC, for volume control and stuff. 3 SetSpkrVol (n)Speakerphone volume 4 SetEPVol (n) Earpiece volume 4 Reset ( ) Alwayshandy.

Thus, there has been shown and described a method and apparatus fordelivering a virtual reality environment which fulfills all the objectsand advantages sought therefor. The invention is not limited to theprecise configuration described above. While the invention has beendescribed as having a preferred design, it is understood that manychanges, modifications, variations and other uses and applications ofthe subject invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled inthe art without materially departing from the novel teachings andadvantages of this invention after considering this specificationtogether with the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, all such changes,modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do notdepart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to becovered by this invention as defined in the following claims.

1. A method, comprising the steps of: communicating with a participantusing an input/output arrangement to obtain at least one of backgroundinformation and preference information; generating a participant profileas a function of the background information, the participant profileincluding at least one of the participant identity and participantpersonal information; creating a virtual reality environment using atleast one of the participant profile and the preference information, thevirtual reality environment including a virtual personal assistant andbeing presented to the participant via the input/output arrangement;receiving a request from the participant using the virtual personalassistant; processing the request using an artificial intelligenceengine and at least one of the preference information and theparticipant profile to generate request data, wherein the request datais configured to restrict the transfer of the participant identity andthe participant personal information via the communications network;obtaining a response data as a function of the request data from atleast one remote location via a communications network, the responsedata including at least one of information, product data and servicedata; and providing the response data to the participant via the virtualreality environment.
 2. A method, comprising the steps of: communicatingwith a participant using an input/output arrangement to obtain at leastone of background information and preference information; generating aparticipant profile as a function of the background information, theparticipant profile including at least one of a participant identity andparticipant personal information; creating a virtual reality environmentusing at least one of the participant profile and the preferenceinformation, the virtual reality environment including a virtualpersonal assistant and being presented to the participant via theinput/output arrangement; receiving a request from the participant usingthe virtual personal assistant; processing the request using anartificial intelligence engine and at least one of the preferenceinformation and the participant profile to generate request data,including: encrypting at least a portion of the request data; andtransmitting the encrypted request data to the at least one remotelocation via the communications network; obtaining a response data as afunction of the request data from at least one remote location via acommunications network, the response data including at least one ofinformation, product data and service data; and providing the responsedata to the participant via the virtual reality environment.
 3. Asystem, comprising: a memory storage device storing a participantprofile generated as a function of background information, theparticipant profile including at least one of a participant identity andparticipant personal information; an input/output arrangementcommunicating with the participant to obtain at least one of thebackground information and preference information, the input/outputarrangement configured to present a virtual reality environment createdas a function of at least one of the participant profile and thepreference information, the virtual reality environment including avirtual personal assistant which receives a request from theparticipant; an artificial intelligence engine processing the request togenerate request data as a function of the request and at least one ofthe preference information and the participant profile, wherein therequest data is configured to restrict the transfer of the participantidentity and the participant personal information via the communicationsnetwork; and a communications arrangement connected to at least oneremote location via a communications network to obtain response data,the response data is a function to the request data and includes atleast one of information, product data and service data.
 4. A system,comprising: a memory storage device storing a participant profilegenerated as a function of background information, the participantprofile including at least one of a participant identity and participantpersonal information; an input/output arrangement communication with theparticipant to obtain at least one of the background information andpreference information, the input/output arrangement configured topresent a virtual reality environment created as a function of at leastone of the participant profile and the preference information, thevirtual reality environment including a virtual personal assistant whichreceives a request from the participant; an artificial intelligenceengine processing the request to generate request data as a function ofthe request and at least one of the preference information and theparticipant profile, wherein the artificial intelligence engine isconfigured to encrypt at least a portion of the request data andtransmit the encrypted request data to at least one remote location viathe communications network; and a communications arrangement connectedto at least one remote location via a communications network to obtainresponse data, the response data is a function of the request data andincludes at least one of information, product data and service data.